Team Eight: Pure
by Rurouni Tyriel
Summary: A new mission takes Team Eight to the icy north, to the mysterious Snow Country, guarding an actress.  But what secrets does she hide behind world weary eyes?  Set in S'tarKan's Team Eight verse.
1. Princess

**Disclaimer: **

I don't own Naruto nor it's wonderfully diverse cast of characters, they belong to Kishimoto. I wish I owned Naruto though, or at least had permission to write for the filler arcs. Then I could get this story animated. I also didn't come up with the rather brilliant 'Team Eight'-verse, that was S'tarKan's doing.

**Summary: **

A new mission takes Team Eight to the icy north, to the mysterious Snow Country, guarding an actress. But what secrets does she hide behind world-weary eyes? Why do the vicious Snow ninja desire her so greatly? And can three young ninja hold their own in a country that saps the life and spirit from any who venture there too long? Takes place sometime after the Sannin Arc and before the Konoha Five Arc. It is set about a year into the future of S'TarKan's 'Team Eight' story. Long story short, Naruto's three-man team was with Shino and Hinata under Kurenai. Some elements may evolve differently from their story, in which case that would make my story an AU of an AU. Rated PG-13 for action violence, cute romance, and some light cursing

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_Around lay devastation. It may have once been a beautiful landscape, full of beautiful, vibrant trees, long green grass, sparkling blue water... now it was a shadow of it's once former majesty. The wind howled amidst leafless, naked black trees, along ground that was dry and cold and lifeless. Worse still were the signs of conflict, the broken weapons and armor, the ground torn and chewed by booted foot and horses shoe, kunai imbedded into the trees and rocks, many stained with blood. Armored bodies lay strewn about as well, broken, battered, and very dead. For this was a battlefield, or it had been one recently _

_As the wind blew, a rain began to pick up, and the echo of thunder was heard on the horizon. A terrible storm was coming. A light drizzle began to fall on those four who still remained alive in the field of death. _

_"We won't be able to make it," said Tsukuyaku, leaning on his sword. "There just isn't a way." _

_Lying on his back, the will to fight drained, his comrade Shishimaru nodded weakly "this journey was hopeless from the start." _

_"We can go no father," added Brit, the drizzle making his war-paint begin to run down the sides of his face as he leaned his back against a tree for support. "Let's just give up," he said, turning to the fourth member of their party. Their leader. _

_Her long black tresses being caught up by the wind and left to float like a cloud, Princess Fuun grimly pushed herself to her feet, her strength tested but with plenty left in reserve, fueled by hope. "There is a way. We must believe in it... and we will find it." _

_"But... Princess..." started Tsukuyaku. _

_She whirled, the wind making her black hair snap like angry snakes as her beautiful features became visible. "Do not give up hope," she stated, almost angry her men... her friends... would suggest such a thing. And that simple statement was enough to inspire a man in even the darkest, deepest depression. They saw no fear in her eyes. Only hope, courage, and love. _

_However, just beyond her, they saw her nemesis, and black despair started to creep over the men again. _

_Wicked laughter filled the air, a dark, mirthless chuckle. It promised death and worse than death. On the hilltop, past a ruined building, stood their enemy, the sorcerer Mao, his white beard fluttering in the breeze as it began to pick up in intensity. His form was instantly recognizable, the dark robes, the ceremonial staff, the long white hair and twisted expression of anger and evil. So was his laughter. How often had it haunted them on this journey? Tormented them? Suddenly the innocent drizzle and the light breeze became a full force storm, and they realized it was not nature's doing, but Mao's. _

_"This is as far as you bastards will go!" he crowed, waving his staff in the air and slamming the butt end down for emphasis. _

_Strength lost to despair was now fueled by anger, and as one, Tsukuyaku, Shishimaru and Brit grabbed their weapons and made their way quickly to defend Princess Fuun. But Mao and the storm were not their only enemies. With a wave of his hand, the sorcerer brought to bear his dark powers, and decided to level the playing field a little. And of course to a dark sorcerer like Mao, level meant completely stacked in his favor. _

_An armored body, previously unnoticed (and why would one notice it, it was simply lying on the ground as corpses tended to do) suddenly rose, the sockets of its helmets filled with a crimson glow as it raised its blade to attack. _

"Watch out Princess Fuun!"

_With the grace of a dancer, the Princess spun out of the way as the blade whisked past, grabbing up her own ancient blade, unstained by the blood of her enemies (a magic inherent in the ore). Focusing her power, she thrust out the blade, and a wave of chakra shot out, shattering the armor of her enemy and blasting them to useless pieces. _

_But victory was not so easily obtained. As they watched, more armored warriors appeared, rising up from the ground, wielding weapons of death and incapable of feeling fear, or mercy, or pain. Mao's army surrounded them, and the dark sorcerer gave another wicked laugh. "You should give up, you cannot win," he stated, pointing his staff at the Princess. "Beg for forgiveness, Princess Fuun. Beg!" _

_"I will never give up." _

_Mao's expression twisted from arrogance to surprise, even shock. Could she not see the odds she faced? The power she was up against? HIS power?! _

_"As long as I live, I will turn everything I have into strength," she replied, speaking as much to her comrades as to her enemy. "And I will show you I can cut a way open!" _

_An aura burned around Princess Fuun. Amidst the dark and gloomy wasteland and storm, it was light and fire and hope. It burned the seven colors of the rainbow. _

_"Princess Fuun is..." _

_"The Seven Color Chakra is burning!" _

_"Quickly, we must add our strength to hers!" _

_Princess Fuun's aura grew more intense, strengthened by her teammates word, and she grimly positioned herself, two fingers running along the length of her ancient blade. The metal channeled chakra, but she wasn't entirely sure if it was up to this... no, she decided. It would be up to the task. They could do this. Shishimaru and Tsukuyaku took up position to either side of her, with Brit in front, weapons upraised, and they too began to burn their chakra. A rainbow of colors coalesced into being around them, and it seemed the dark storm was losing it's intensity. _

_Meanwhile, Mao simply laughed. Pretty colors and worthless words were their weapons? He laughed, and swung up his staff, whirling it about over his head. As he did, the storm obeyed, and drew in close and tight, the power condensed into a dark hurricane, and with a swing of his weapon sent it hurtling down amongst Fuun and her pitiful defenders. _

_The dark energy hit and exploded, shattering, sending waves of black wind amongst the armored soldiers of Mao, who were cut down mercilessly. But where it struck the Seven Color Chakra, it broke, meeting an impenetrable barrier as sturdy as any shield. The power of Princess Fuun and her friends. They had come far together. They had been through the Abyss and back together. They had fought Mao before, and always before they had defeated him. Today would be no different. With a mighty cry, Princess Fuun focused all of her energy to the tip of her blade, and thrust it forward, unleashing it. It washed over Mao like a tidal wave, and the dark sorcerer was caught wholly unprepared, blasted clean off his feet by the sheer power of it, and sent hurtling off into the distance. _

_Still the chakra did not die, it burned and grew and glowed like a thousand suns, a ray of light that pierced the darkness and split the storm. And as Mao was defeated, his storm lost it's power, and it faded away, even the clouds dispersing. A seven color rainbow greeted them on the horizon, marking the way their journey would continue. _

_They had found a way. _

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"Yeah! Alright Princess Fuun! That's the way you do it!"

"Shhh, Naruto-kun," a voice whispered in the dark to his left. "The other patrons might get upset."

"Oh right silly me," replied the spiky-haired boy, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. He reluctantly settled down, arms folded across his chest. The third member of their party, to the first boy's right, simply stood impassively, eyes on the screen. At least, as far as they could tell, considering they were hidden behind a pair of dark glasses. He could've fallen asleep during the teasers and trailers in the beginning and they'd never have known.

So they settled in to watch the rest of the movie, although there wasn't a great deal left. Princess Fuun and her friends had defeated the evil Mao with the Seven Color Chakra, and after a dramatic speech about friendship and loyalty and courage they could stand dramatically and let the credits roll.

Naruto enjoyed the action, Hinata was in awe of the strong princess, and Shino appreciated the technical aspects required to film and edit such a masterpiece. All in all, a good, quiet outing for Team Eight. It was certainly a change from their usual trips to Ichiraku or Moritake's.

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After the credits had finished and the patrons began to file out, Team Eight made their way instead outside the back of the theater, into a back lot. It was an area still under partial construction, supposedly going to be an extension of the theater in the days to come. This was where their sensei Kurenai had promised to meet them. It had actually been her suggestion the team all see the movie in the first place, and bought them first-rate tickets herself, though most of them had been making vague plans to see it anyway. The Adventures of Princess Fuun was a number one hit throughout Konoha and the Fire Country, and supposedly even the far away ninjas in Suna enjoyed her adventures. This was the second in a series, with a third supposedly in the works. And definitely some of the finest works that had been made in recent memory.

Naruto seemed to approve. He'd grabbed up a spare metal rod that had been lying unused on the ground and was re-enacting some of Princess Fuun's legendary sword-fighting techniques. Hinata and Shino, more subdued in their reaction, were watching him, Shino with an unreadable expression, Hinata with a rare happy smile plastered all over her face.

After all, Hinata's team had just seen a wonderful movie, courtesy of Kurenai-sensei, and now supposedly in short order they'd be on a mission that would last them the better part of two weeks or so. Hinata had stopped listening to finer details after that point. Two weeks alone with her team, out of Konoha, was her idea of heaven. She would've happily (although maybe not cheerfully) gone along with such conditions and been sent to the Swamp Country for reconnaissance.

Naruto finished up one swing, but accidentally failed to take into account his surroundings, and it banged up against a steel support, making a loud clanging noise that set the rest of the team on edge. Vibrations forced him to drop his makeshift "sword" as he winced, rubbing his palms. Then turned to look sheepishly at the others.

"Sorry."

"You really should be conserving your energy," remarked Shino quietly, taking a moment to adjust his ever-present shades. "Kurenai-sensei instructed us to be ready for our next mission as soon as the film was over and she came for us."

"Yeah, yeah," replied Naruto, waving his hand dismissively. He'd heard it before, after all. But Shino's comment did shake loose a nagging question he'd had ever since Kurenai had presented the tickets. "Hey, why do you think she insisted we see a movie together before the mission? And why this one?" he added, gesturing up at the poster stretched across the back wall of the theater, with a larger-than-life size image of Princess Fuun stretched across it.

To that, Shino had no answer, and his brows drew down as he frowned. "I do not know."

A definite mystery to ponder, but Naruto supposed his sensei knew best, and decided to let his mind wander a bit, even as his gaze began to wander as well, heading up along the poster to admire Fuun. There wasn't any doubt in his mind she was a beautiful woman, though he'd be hard pressed to say why. But what he really found enticing was her spirit. The way she spoke, the courage she showed. The only other women he'd known who acted remotely that self-confident were his sensei Kurenai, and the old hag Tsunade. And the Fifth was a drunken, gambling slob half the time. "I wonder if there are any real Princesses like Princess Fuun," he wondered aloud. "Any shinobi would be satisfied to fight for a Princess like that."

Though he hadn't meant his remark in a bad way, Hinata stiffened at it, her gaze wandering downwards toward her sandaled feet. Sometimes she wished she was a Princess like Fuun. Someone Naruto would be proud to fight for. But she wasn't. She was just plain ol' Hinata, the reject of the Hyuuga family, the failure, the one nobody wanted or neede... no, that wasn't quite true, she realized, banishing her dark thoughts as she glanced up at Naruto once more. Her blonde-haired teammate smiled, and she did as well. Her team needed her. They liked her. They wanted her around. That was enough.

"It's just a movie," remarked Shino quietly. "Still, most movies have at least some basis in fact, for inspiration if nothing else."

Hinata nodded thoughtfully at that. "Maybe there are real live Princesses somewhere out in the world," she added.

Naruto smiled at that, glad his theory hadn't been dismissed as a stupid idea or the like. At least, not completely. They were willing to accept that maybe, just maybe, he might be right. And that was almost as good as saying he was. After all, he planned to be Hokage someday. And it'd be easier to get there with two friends at his side than all by himself.

The clop of horse-steps interrupted their conversation however. A horse was coming, sounded like just the one, but it was coming right for them. As one, Team Eight leapt into position in case it was an attack, Shino with arms extended, Hinata sliding into a _Jyuuken_ stance, Naruto with arms upraised in front, though they had no idea what to expect. Horses generally weren't seen traveling the streets of Konoha.

Then the horse leapt clear up over the fence, right into the lot they'd been gathered in. It was a white charger, but the horse itself instantly lost attention as the three of them focused completely on the rider.

Long, dark black hair of the same shade as Hinata's, delicate features, lightly covered in tasteful makeup. A green silk robe was wrapped around the woman's slender body, and underneath was a pair of comfortable silk pants of a shade closer to blue. She wore small shoes and had pushed the sleeves of her robes up so she could reach the reins, and barely paid the three gathered shinobi a second glance as she and her mount galloped past them.

It was shocking enough to see a horse go galloping by in the streets of Konoha. It was even more shocking to see a horse go galloping by ridden by Princess Fuun!

"No way!" said Naruto, his jaw having practically hit the ground.

A crash from behind them alerted them just in time, and ninja instincts kicked in before they could think, yanking their bodies out of harm's way as the fence's gate swung open, narrowly missing Hinata before Naruto grabbed her up and pulled her out of danger. He joined Shino atop a pile of crates in the small yard as another horse went by, ridden by a bearded, bespeckled man. And behind him, yet more black horses, ridden by a series of warriors in very distinct black armor. It was the animated suits from the movie, the ones who'd been controlled by sorcerer Mao!

"What is going on?!" asked Naruto. Had they stumbled -into- the movie?

Naruto released Hinata and sprang up onto the nearby building, enhancing the chakra in his feet to cling to the side as he peered down the street, trying to guess what was happening. He couldn't see very well though, the horses were kicking up a lot of dust, and it looked like they'd changed directions a little ways down.

"We should pursue," stated Shino. "We will follow and try to ascertain what help is needed, if any."

Naruto nodded, reaching up to adjust his forehead protector.

"Let's go."

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Shinobi were trained from an early age to travel at high speed, and thus three of them barely a year out of the Academy could still move much faster than the riders, leaping to and from the overhanging roofs of the village of Konoha as easily as a child might hop-skip from one stone to another. Team Eight was particularly well versed at this, as a reconnaissance team, speed was always off the essence. They could run like the wind if the need struck them. And the need had struck them.

Princess Fuun, or whomever it was (even Shino thought the resemblance eerie) was definitely the one being pursued here, and not keen to let herself be caught as she plowed past the market district and kept on going, tossing aside a rug that had become caught on her charger by accident. Her pursuers, however, were relentless, and several broke off down another alley in an attempt to box her in with nets and sheer numbers. By this time, the members of Team Eight had decided to get involved, and they'd quickly come up with a plan.

By the time the net was thrown, it was intercepted in mid-flight by a flurry of shuriken, which sliced it to ribbons long before it hit the Princess. The armored riders glanced up, and just in time to see a green-clad, blonde-haired boy come bearing down upon them as his hand snapped into a seal.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

And then suddenly it was -raining- blonde boys in green. If the armored riders had the advantage of numbers before, they'd completely lost it now, and instead the grinning Konoha ninja had come bearing down upon them, knocking them and their horses down and providing an exit for the Princess, who gratefully took off down another alleyway. Half the riders were taken out by Naruto alone, his clones helping to keep them restrained on the ground.

"Just like the movie," one of them remarked idly, then gave a solid whack to the helmet of one of the soldiers, making sure he stayed down. None of them were seriously hurt, just pinned, he'd want more answers later, but for now, they were definitely out of the fight.

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It took them a good twenty minutes to catch the Princess, and about a dozen of the armored soldiers to do it, after having slipped up her horse. Right now they were bearing down to keep her from running as their commander, the bearded, bespeckled man, rode up to join his men and his new captive.

"Finally caught you, eh Princess?" he remarked casually, leaning forward in the saddle.

She frowned up at him faintly, though without a trace of anger or frustration, which didn't seem much like her at all. And Asama Sandayuu knew the little Princess better than anyone. So that was why, when she suddenly slid arms and hands out into a fighting stance, and then began to slip in and out of her enemies, throwing light handed taps (or so it seemed to him) that sent full-grown, armored men crashing to the ground, he was shocked, but not surprised.

"An imposter!"

"Correct," whispered a voice that was practically in his ear. A voice accompanied by a low buzzing noise.

As he looked up, Sandayuu could see they were surrounded. A small wall of glistening black insects had risen up around the ring of warriors, cutting off all means of escape as effectively as if they were a brick wall. And still more bugs were being added, flowing from the wide sleeves of a dark-haired boy with sunglasses standing calmly on the edge of the clearing. Sandayuu and his warriors had been led into a trap. He chuckled at that, which seemed to confuse them.

"I can't leave you two alone for a second, can I?" came a new voice.

Shino and Hinata glanced up, only mildly surprised to see Yuuhi Kurenai perched high atop one of the nearby tree branches, resting as casually as if she'd been there the whole time their little escapade had been going on. With a casual gesture to smooth black her gray locks, she discreetly motioned for her charges to stand down. They did so at once, a puff engulfing the "Princess" as she transformed from a tall, long-haired woman with blue eyes to a small, short-haired girl with white ones.

Kurenai leapt down lightly from the tree as her charges moved away from the armored warriors. "I'm so very sorry about this," she stated, bowing low before Sandayuu, and discreetly motioning for Hinata and Shino to do the same. Sandayuu was still laughing, so hard he nearly cried. They'd been completely outmaneuvered by two boys and a girl who couldn't have been more than thirteen.

"Quite alright I assure you," he said, finally managing to get himself under control, and returned the bow to the three of them.

Kurenai turned to her team, her ruby eyes flashing, though with anger or amusement, they couldn't quite tell. "This person is the client for your mission," she said.

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Some confusion (and many apologies) later, all the members of Team Eight had been reunited on the studio set of Ninja Pictures Inc., the company which made and distributed the Adventures of Princess Fuun, properly meeting with their client, who was the manager for the actress Fujikaze Yukie, who played Princess Fuun in the movies. This explained some of the obvious confusion that had erupted when she'd tried to escape in full costume. Perhaps she'd even been counting on it, for she seemed to have thoroughly given them all the slip, vanishing into the woodwork of Konoha as silently as a ninja herself.

Beyond that (confident they'd be able to locate Yukie later), Sandayuu and the Director were quite pleased by Team Eight's performance, as they'd thoroughly taken down or incapacitated all the other bodyguard/stunt actors that had been hired in a matter of minutes.

"Obviously you train this team very well," the elderly director said respectfully to Kurenai, who had the good grace to blush faintly at the praise. Hinata did much the same, though partially from shame. Team Eight had acted without orders and attacked their own client, of all things. If her father ever found out...

... she felt her soul shrivel at the very thought of it.

"So our mission is to protect Princess Fuun?" asked Naruto.

"Fujikaze Yukie," corrected Shino, sitting to the side. He loved the film industry (a secret interest even his parents knew little about) but he was very practical when it came to a mission, and he was very specific about how he thought about people. Minimum of nicknames, no titles, just who they were. Fujikaze Yukie, the actress, was the one they needed to keep safe for the mission.

"Protect is a strong word," said Sandayuu lightly, adjusting his glasses. "Might be better to say it's more... escorting her."

"This is the first time the Unlucky Princess will be filmed oversees," stated the assistant director, a carrot-topped man with bushy eyebrows that made Naruto curious if he was a relative of the infamous Green Beasts of Konoha. But he decided politely not to ask. "Fujikaze Yukie plays the most critical role... we simply can't do it without her."

"It's a long way to the Snow Country," remarked Kurenai, arms folded across her chest. "Why does the film need to be made there?"

"We're going to make use of some of the natural landscape as part of it," explained the assistant director, who tapped one of the pictures on a nearby wall. Amongst them were a number of images of costumes and sets, actresses and actors, former movies and the like. But the one he indicated was a breath-taking view of some cliffs that seemed arranged like a series of standing stones.

"They're called the Rainbow Glaciers. Sandayuu was the one who suggested we use them for the final scene in the movie. It's said during the spring the glaciers light up with the seven colors of the rainbow."

"I am just glad to be of help," Sandayuu replied with a short bow, a pleasant smile on his face.

"Clever," remarked Shino. "Film that and you save having to edit it in later with special effects."

The director chuckled at that. "Good work, boy... you obviously do your homework"

Kurenai's expression didn't change, her body didn't quiver, but she felt a chill run down her spine. Something was wrong here. She could sense it. A genjutsu specialist learned not only to trust their five senses, but also when -not- to trust their five senses, and rely on a sixth sense. On instinct. And right now, her instincts told her something was up. She'd be keeping a wary eye on Sandayuu, that was certain.

There was something else bugging her as well. She'd been to the Snow Country before. And it didn't hold pleasant memories for her. Grimly, she pushed them aside, and did her best to focus on what was being said for the mission. To her relief, she saw Naruto, Shino, and Hinata were doing the same as they listened to the directors and fellow actors describe the person they'd be guarding for the next few days. The spoiled, unmotivated Yukie, who was a surprising contrast to the selfless, never-back-down Fuun she portrayed.

Then again, she wouldn't be much of an actress if she couldn't pretend to be someone else, Kurenai mused. She could relate.

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**Author's Notes: **

Written with more than a few tweaks to the main storyline, obviously given the new team involved in the mission. Some is filling in the blanks, some is obviously re-writing history a bit. I hope to stay at least close to continuity as possible, but I make no promises.


	2. Icy Tears

Since the mission had technically started, Team Eight was then given the thankless task of tracking down the actress Yukie and bringing her to the docks where the rest of the film people were gathering. They'd be setting off on a ship bound for the Snow Country in the morning, so finding her before then and getting her to the ship was a top priority. They were authorized to drag her, if necessary, to get her on the ship in the time they'd been allotted. Though it wasn't Team Eight's specialty they had taken some basic lessons on how to bring in people alive when the situation warranted it.

Locating her hadn't proven that big of a problem, actually. They'd split into two-man teams to find her more quickly, sweeping through Konoha's western and eastern districts, and Hinata's _Byakugan_ had located Yukie as she came out of a clothing store, her costume robes gone, exchanged with some non-descript garments and sunglasses to hide her eyes. Hinata and Naruto moved in quickly to tail her, but unfortunately the actress was accustomed to being pursued, and spotted them in her compact mirror she carried with her. Naturally, she then began to flee. They might've caught her then and there but both of them had increased their weights recently, and no matter how fast they were, she was still a longer-legged woman they were trying to catch, and had the edge on them.

She gave them the runaround for a good thirty minutes or so. Finally, after some maneuvering, they cornered her in a nearby alley, and she finally collapsed, unable to run any longer. Or perhaps, realizing, that against a girl who could see through walls and a boy who could be close to everywhere, she simply couldn't hide.

"Alright, alright, I'll come with you," she said in a dejected tone, lying there on the ground, looking utterly defeated.

"Can I get an autograph too?" asked Naruto, procuring a pen and a small movie poster from the pack resting on his back. "I'm a big fan of yours!"

"M-me too please," asked Hinata, holding up her own.

Yukie's hand snapped out like a striking cobra and slapped Hinata's little poster and pen clear out of her hands, swatting them aside. They fell to the ground, but the effect on the pale-eyed Hyuuga could not have been more profound if the dark-haired actress had slapped her instead. She looked ready to burst into tears.

"Hey!" shouted Naruto.

Yukie deftly slid a hand back to her ear, brushing her hair back and grasping her earring, which had been specially designed. Deftly, she pressed on a button and sprayed a blast of mace directly into Naruto's face. Yelling at the bitchy Princess became considerably less of a priority when he was on the ground writhing in agony, his face on fire.

But he managed.

"My autograph is worthless," she spat, tearing up the poster Naruto had handed her and letting the pieces fall to the ground. "Just going to sit away and collect dust somewhere. It's stupid."

By the time the two of them had sufficiently recovered, Yukie had slipped away. Again.

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Fortunately, the second time it was Shino and Kurenai who found her, the former of whom radioed the second half of the team as backup before they went into the drinking establishment she'd chosen. Not Moritake's, it seemed, one of the seedier locations on the edge of Konoha. Only one other client, a dark-haired, bearded man in the corner, content to sip his sake. Shino and Kurenai had the exits completely cut off by the time the rest of them arrived, including Sandayuu, her manager. However, it seemed that Yukie had been soundly defeated from escape not by shinobi, but by alcohol. By the time they arrived, she was somewhere between smashed and thankfully just short of vomiting all over the floor. Naruto frowned, his opinion of her dropping by the minute, and Hinata was mortified. Her idol image had been completely shattered in less than one afternoon.

"Finally found you, Princess Fuun!" shouted Naruto angrily.

"I'm not Princess Fuun," she slurred, already pouring herself another cup.

"I know that!" he said, slamming his hand down hard on the counter. "How dare you upset Hinata like that! I don't care how great an actress you are, I will never forgive you for that!"

"Naruto!" Kurenai's voice snapped like a whip, and though he was still furious and aching for a fight, Naruto backed down, and made his way over to the wall, farther from Yukie. Hinata stood beside him, her cheeks rosy, a small smile on her face as she'd watched Naruto try to defend her.

Yukie, however, seemed more amused than insulted by the verbal attack. "Actress? Great? Haha... an actress is the worst job ever... you're never yourself. You have to lie and pretend you're someone else. It's a job for the worst people..." she trailed off, a hand against her lips, and swayed a moment before continuing. "... go away and leave me alone," she said.

"We can't do that, Yukie-sama," said Sandayuu. "The ship leaves in..." he checked his watch. "... less than four hours. We have to go. Now."

"It's okaaaay," she slurred, smiling as if everything was alright. "I'm not going. You can go without me."

"That isn't acceptable!" he replied. "The part of Princess Fuun can only be played by you!"

As the two began to bicker, Shino quietly reached up to scratch at the side of his head, as if it itched. In reality, it was a covert signal, and all eyes of Team Eight were drawn to him. When he was sure he had their attention, he indicated silently towards the door. The final patron, the bearded man, was making his way out, but underneath the flap of his shirt, very briefly, the glint of metal could be seen. He hadn't been an ordinary customer.

So someone was following Yukie already. A stalker? Some pervert? Or was it something more sinister than that?

As their argument dragged on, even the infamous patience of Kurenai wore thin, and eventually she settled for a direct approach, slipping gracefully into the stool next to Yukie and taking the bottle of sake from her, pouring both of them a fresh glass.

"Kurenai-sama?"

"Kurenai-sensei, what're you doing?" asked Hinata.

"Yukie and I are enjoying a drink, aren't we Yukie?" she asked, her expression neutral, her ruby gaze on the actress. And Yukie smiled stupidly and nodded. "Mmm, but it's late... and we really need... to sleeeep... "

Below Yukie's line of vision, Kurenai's hands formed a seal, and murmured soothingly "_Nehan Shouja no Jutsu_," to Yukie. Confused, the actress thought she'd tried speaking to her in the common tongue, so was about to ask her to repeat herself when the genjutsu hit her. To the actress, it seemed as if a thousand chickens had burst out of existence, leaving behind only their feathers, which drifted down around her eyes. Weighing them down. They were so heavy. She'd close them for just a minute...

... she was out like a light and almost snoring before she pitched backwards, but thankfully Naruto and Shino managed to catch her before she fell to the ground. Kurenai downed her own drink, nodded, and they made their way out, carrying the unconscious Princess with them. Sandayuu settled the bill quickly before coming with them, Hinata trailing along in the very back.

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The ship departed with little trouble, and already by the time Naruto was up and about on the first day he could see the film people were busy working. Apparently the ship itself was part of some scene in the new movie, so they were filming en route. Not a bad idea, really. Saved them a bit of time. But it did force the blonde to be careful where he stepped. He tripped over a cable on his way to breakfast and nearly broke his nose, to say nothing of pissing off the crew that had to set it back into place.

So now he sat far, far out of the way (to cause no more grief and receive none) with his teammates, and munched on a riceball Hinata had faithfully prepared for the team earlier. Although Shino, Naruto, and even Kurenai took their turns with it whenever their team was away from Konoha, Hinata enjoyed cooking the most, and none did it quite as well as she did. He said as much.

He hoped she wasn't getting seasick, however. She looked all red when he'd said it.

Inevitably, Naruto found himself bored on the ship, with no room to spar with Hinata or Shino without being in the way and very little danger that could befall them so far out at sea. So they found themselves watching the production unfold. And inevitably, they spotted Yukie, who was the center of attention whether she liked it or not. As it was, she didn't seem to care. She looked almost half asleep as she was getting her make-up applied.

Memories of yesterday's forceful rejection of autographs made Naruto clench his free hand into a fist, though he was very careful to keep the red chakra under control. No one did something like to that to his teammates, he thought. Aloud, he said "I don't like that lady," and then stuffed the remainder of the riceball into his mouth and swallowed before he could add to it anything more colorful.

"Nor do I," remarked Shino, who seemed to be paying less attention, his gaze on one of the lighting sets ups. "Regardless, it is our duty to protect her."

"It's our mission. It's a big mission too," added Kurenai as an after-thought, hoping perhaps the importance might make them take it more seriously. "A-rank."

"A?" asked Naruto. "Isn't that a bit much for protecting a single actress?"

"Actors and actresses are well-known people," Shino replied smoothly before Kurenai could get to it. "They attract a lot of attention."

"And we don't know who the enemies are, so you should stay sharp," added Kurenai.

"Hai, Kurenai-sensei," they chorused, though not quite in unison, and very seriously. They were taking this job as professional shinobi should.

Nevertheless, as time went on and they watched Yukie's performance, both on and off camera, it was getting harder and harder not to picture her suffering any number of horrible tragedies. And not for the sake of her movie.

--

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--

By the end of the second day, Naruto was restless. He couldn't sleep well in a bed that swayed from side to side, so after hours he climbed up atop of the deck to admire the open ocean in the dark of the night. The film people, including Yukie and her manager, were all asleep, and a skeleton crew kept the ship from crashing during the night. Other than that, it was virtually empty. The moon was out though, a half-crescent high up in the sky, and it bathed the whole region below it, including the tiny boat and Naruto himself, in an eerie blue-purple glow. It also illuminated, standing by the bow...

"Hinata," he called out, though not too loudly. People were sleeping after all.

She started, but gave a smile as she saw who it was emerging from the shadows. "N-Naruto-kun," she said. "Can't sleep?"

"Nawh," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Too restless. You?"

"The same," she replied, averting her gaze. "I... came out here to admire the view."

"Good taste," he remarked as he leapt up onto the bow, perched precariously on the edge. Hinata was about to give a cry of warning that he might slip and fall, but ultimately decided against it. Naruto might be upset she didn't have faith in his ability not to tumble over the side. But when he offered a hand, her heart started to pound. "Come on up, looks better from up here."

Hesitantly, she took his hand, and he indeed helped her up, though the ledge was narrow, they were practically standing on the figurehead of the ship. Charging her feet with chakra would help to keep them anchored, she realized, but still, it was wet, and they could slip and fall off the side. But really, she thought, the worst that could happen was they got wet.

And standing side-by-side with Naruto in the moonlight, even if it wasn't even remotely romantic, was far worth getting wet.

So she stayed.

"Hey I'm... sorry about what happened," he said after a moment. "That she wouldn't give you an autograph."

"It-it-it it's okay," she managed after a moment, zipping up her jacket. The air was very cold tonight. Naruto looked like he barely noticed himself, but he did when she started to shiver. "I'm sorry you couldn't get one either," she said, hoping to distract him. She didn't want him needlessly worrying about her.

"Eh, maybe she was right I wouldn't have done much with it... but you liked Princess Fuun a lot," he said.

She nodded. "I did... now I'm not so sure."

He scrunched his face up at that, the way he always did when he was thinking deeply about something. Hinata thought it was cute, and politely didn't interrupt. Naruto wasn't the swiftest individual, or book smart like Shikamaru, or even knowledgeable like their sensei Kurenai and some others... but he was remarkably insightful. He always analyzed a situation from every angle before reaching an answer. By the time he had, most people already had their own, but he had one that might've been profoundly truthful.

So it was that he smiled at her, and said "It doesn't matter, you don't need to look up to someone like Princess Fuun. You enough like a princess yourself, Hinata."

She suddenly became very grateful that dark night was concealing her face, because she was positive right now she'd turned the color of a tomato, and her ears felt like they were giving off steam. Instead she managed to squeak out a polite "Thank you," before she had to focus on her breathing. She was fairly she was going to faint if she didn't.

--

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--

Hinata and Naruto weren't the only one's having a sleepless night, however. In another part of the ship, down by the guest quarters, another figure was up and moving, and was neither a member of the crew nor one of the film producers. This shadow slipped effortlessly into other rooms as if the doors had been left unlocked and unbolted, and the floorboards (never the most sturdy on even the newest of ships) didn't so much as squeak.

The shadow's first destination was Sandayuu's room, and what was found their only confirmed initial suspicions. A simple manager rarely found themselves in need of a full suit of battle armor. And obviously not a prop either, it was the real deal, set with the image of the Snow Country's Damiyo personal guard. To say nothing of a fully functional katana beside Yukei's eye drops bottle. No, Sandayuu was far more than the simple manager he pretended to be.

The next stop was Yukei's room.

One of the most opulent, if not downright tasteless rooms in the whole ship (which had been rented specifically with her voyage in mind) it reminded one of how truly unfair life was to different classes. Still, some would rather scrape by for the shinobi pay from missions rather than live as this, surrounded by empty wealth and... things. It was an empty life. And maybe Yukie knew that, based on her ramblings the other night. In her own way, she was as completely miserable being the center of attention as Naruto had been as a child, when his presence had been shunned and ignored.

The difference was that Naruto worked hard, not just to gain the respect and attention of his peers, but to make sure that he was the only one who suffered because of it. Yukie didn't seem to care whom she upset or irritated, focused wholly on her own pain.

The shadow paused for a moment, giving Yukie a good look as she slumbered in her bed. Her face was contorted, she looked in pain. A nightmare, no doubt. Something horrible, judging from the way she moaned. Beyond that, seeing her face again, being able to study it, allowed them to confirmed their initial suspicion. Yukie was not who she appeared to be either. And if the face wasn't enough to stir up memories, the crystal shard resting on the windowsill was. Idly, they stretched out a hand, taking it up between fingers to study. It was only a short piece of amethyst, barely two inches long about a quarter of an inch thick. It looked remarkably like the piece of cerulean gemstone Naruto had received from Tsunade, actually, and was shaped the same way.

Though Naruto did not know it, his held an incredible power. Perhaps this one did as well. But if it did, Yuuhi Kurenai could not fathom what it was. She only knew, when she held it...

_...Kobaru-sensei stumbled in the snow, his leg bleeding from a kunai jammed into the back of his leg, behind his knee. But he was still big and strong with plenty of power left, and his next blow caught his attacker off-guard and sent them hurtling through the air to slam into a nearby tree with enough force to send shards of bark flying in every direction. _

_"Kurenai! Get the girl and go! Nomaru! Go with her! NOW!" _

_"What about you?" she asked. _

_"Don't worry about me!" he shouted, unfurling a scroll from his pack and allowing a small puff to accompany his spiked club as it formed in his hand. "Finish the mission! Get the girl to safety! I am counting on you!" _

_As one, two newly made genins scrambled, stumbling through the snow, dodging under kunai and flaming arrows being hurled through the darkness. And then, that laughter. Kurenai glanced up, one arm around the young Princess to protect her, and spotted Kobaru-sensei's opponent, a lanky, thin man with pale hair and a feral expression. _

_And then the feral man turned to her, and grinned, and she turned and ran, and ran, and ran... _

... she started, drawing in a sharp breath, then glanced at Yukie to make sure she hadn't been awoken. She was still caught up in her own nightmare. So Kurenai returned everything to where it should be and slipped out, silent as a shadow. As she padded back to the room she shared with Hinata, she felt a chill run down her spine. The same as before. A sense of foreboding. There was a storm coming. And she was afraid.

Not just for herself. But for her students.

--

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--

Sometime early on the fourth day, they encountered a most unexpected obstacle. Naruto was hastily woken by Shino (already fully dressed) and scrambled to grab his green jacket and trousers and climb up to the top deck to see what all the commotion was. He hadn't seen things this chaotic since the make-up girl had lost Brit's supplies.

Today, it seemed something with just a touch more impact on their day.

They found a huge iceberg in their way. Just floating their, mocking them, blocking the channel the ship would've normally used to get past to the Snow Country. It would take some very careful navigation to get them around it, and Naruto readied himself for orders. No doubt as non-crew he'd get something simple like securing cargo but he was always glad to help.

Fate, it seemed, had something else in store for him today.

"This... is... brilliant!" shouted the Director. "Grab the boats we're going ashore!"

"What on earth for?!"

"We can shoot here! This is a Godsend! Find the actors! Grab the equipment! Everyone ashore! NOW!"

Not quite what Naruto had in mind, but it worked for him. He made his way back down to his cabin (he bunked with Shino, the girls were in a separate one next to it) and grabbed up his winter cloak and throwing it around his shoulders. He didn't feel the cold much but it seemed impolite to the others to advertise that. Especially Kurenai, who'd been forced to discard her white and black wraparound for a crimson bodysuit and her chuunin jacket, as well as a ruffled collar. She was standing by the gangplank, watching as the actors, crew, technicians, and film crew made their ascent and descent, carrying heavy equipment onto the icy landscape. Hinata was down in the bunks, setting up some bento boxes with her team's lunch, which she'd been working on since early that morning. And Shino was up on the deck alongside Naruto, the two boys working to sharpen their kunai while they waited.

Time to begin his job as a glorified babysitter for a spoiled brat of an actress.

--

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--

"Hahahaha! So you have come all the way here, Princess Fuun?!"

"Mao!" cried out Yukie, wooden sword upraised.

"Your highness, please stay back," commanded Michi, the actor who portrayed Tsukuyaku, hand on his still sheathed weapon. Beside him, the man who was Brit, freshly covered in make-up, raised his own weapon. Naruto wasn't positive, he hadn't been following closely the filming on the ship, but he thought Shishimaru might've been killed off a scene or two ago, which was why the actor was lounging with a fresh cup of coffee nearby.

"Whatever your numbers, you are no match for me!" cried the fake-Mao, who looked considerably less threatening without special effects. "Prepare to di-!"

An explosion went off, and Naruto was impressed. It looked incredibly realistic...

Kurenai wasn't standing beside them. It almost look like she'd appeared out of nowhere before the trio of actors.

"Everyone get back!" their sensei cried, already palming a pair of shuriken.

Naruto blinked, then did a double-take. She'd been standing right there, and then... no time to think. Act. Move. Naruto's body was trained to spring into action, and that's exactly what he did. He was grateful to see that Shino and Hinata had done the same. As one, the Hinata and Naruto palmed kunai, the ninja's weapon of choice, as they made their way forward to protect Yukie from whatever their teacher had spotted. Shino's hand slipped behind his back, but he did not yet draw his own weapons.

Meanwhile, he studied the source of the explosion. The smoke was making it hard to see, but it was clearing rapidly. As it did, a pale-haired man stood, dressed in white garments and wearing some sort of strange armor. His cap bore a Hidden Village symbol... four dots, like falling snow. He discarded a white cloak he'd been hiding under as he stood up, standing their arrogantly.

"Welcome to the Snow Country," he stated, grinning like a wolf eyeing it's prey.

Whoever they were, Kurenai seemed to recognize them. Then her head snapped to the left, and they spotted a second ninja, a slight girl with pink hair not unlike Sakura's, as well as green eyes. Unlike the girl in Konoha, however, this one had a maniacal grin on her face and was wearing the same outfit as her counterpart, as well as similar armor.

"I welcome you, Princess Koyuki. Did you bring the crystal?"

"Princess Koyuki?" asked Hinata. And by now she wasn't the only person confused, half of the crew seemed to have no idea what was going on, and Naruto would've scratched his head if he hadn't been holding a kunai. In fact, the only people who didn't seem to be completely shocked were Kurenai, who was largely indifferent, and Sandayuu.

Hinata slid her kunai away, and activated her bloodline limit. "_Byakugan_." At once, her vision was wider and more encompassing, and she spotted...!

"Kurenai-sensei! To your right!"

The third member of the Snow team was a huge giant of a man, with an ugly face and short, dark black hair. He too wore the same armor and outfit as they did, and had some sort of wide bar secured to his back, it's purpose they could not determine. He'd been trying to sneak up on them under the snow, as the first two had, but not many could hide themselves for long against the legendary white eyes of the Hyuuga.

If it was a fight they wanted, Naruto was more than happy to oblige, and his foot had already dug into the snow when Kurenai's voice carried back. "Naruto, Hinata, Shino! Protect Yukie-sama. That is your mission!" and flung her shuriken up at the lead Snow ninja, who blocked with his armored right arm, the shuriken clanging harmlessly against his gauntlet. "Everyone else back to the ship! NOW!"

When Kurenai spoke like that, people tended to listen. As one, the actors began to run. All save Yukie, who was still frozen still in shock.

"Fubuki, Mizori... get the Princess," snapped the head Snow ninja, even as he dropped down lightly at the base of the hillside, giving Kurenai a feral grin. "I remember you," he hissed.

Her ruby eyes narrowed in equal parts anger and disgust. "Rouga Nadare."

"You remember, I'm flattered."

She wasted no more words, hurling another pair of shuriken and snapping her hands together in a quick series of seals. As Rouga watched, she blurred and vanished from view. His grin didn't diminish, it only grew wider, emphasizing his sharp canine teeth. The hunt was half the fun, after all. And he could afford to take his time with the hot, ruby-eyed kunoichi. Fubuki and Mizori would tear apart her three-man team in no time then they could all make their way back to the castle and see their master, complete with both the Princess and the crystal.

Battle was joined.

--

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--

**Author's Notes: **

One of the more obvious changes was making Kurenai's team the one that saved Koyuki in the flashback, rather than the ANBU Kakashi. Though equally unpleasant, this is not intended to be the infamous mission she refers to continually in S'tarKan's story. Also fair warning, the exact plot isn't going to be identical, so expect major detours up ahead.

Special thanks must also be extended to Causeiambetta for beta-ing for plot-holes and offering suggestions and advice.


	3. Cold Rage

Kurenai and Rouga met with the force of a small explosion, as they traded punches and kicks in mid-air, leaping their way further up the hillside, being mindful that the slightest slip would not only leave them open to attack, it might also well send them tumbling down the jagged ice. Not a desirable position to find oneself. The pale-haired Rouga launched two punches but she slapped aside his open palms, grateful for the lessons she'd taken from Kobaru-sensei in elementary taijutsu. She wasn't an expert in the style like Gai by any means but no shinobi from the Leaf passed the Academy without at least some understanding of the basics of kicks and punches.

Meanwhile, below, her team were having their own problems.

Mizori had unveiled the purpose of the slab on his back, unfolding it to create some sort of rough board he tossed to the ground and stood atop of, his boots locked into place. This board he used to slid across the snow at great speeds, propelled by a mixture of his own chakra and some propulsion devices hidden in the back of his armor. Naruto had moved in quickly to intercept him, but he came whizzing forward with the speed and power of a cannon, forcing the spiky-haired boy to roll clear out of the way. The next time Mizori came around, he was ready, and his hands snapped up into a familiar seal.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

However, more clones didn't seem to help much, Mizori slammed into them headfirst and they barely slowed him down, puffing out of existence as he barreled past. One of them tried a flurry of shuriken but these were equally useless, breaking harmlessly against the big lug's armor. He was practically unstoppable once he'd been set into motion. And it didn't help matters much when the pink-haired Fubuki came dancing down to join him and help finish Naruto off. She drew back her hand and thrust it out as she released her own jutsu.

"_Hyouton, Tsubame Fubuki_!"

Materializing out of thing air, a flurry of birds made of ice came hurtling through the air, sharp and deadly as any kunai, and Naruto was forced yet again to roll out of the way, though this time he did so much more gracefully and slid to his feet with much less effort. However, the birds changed course in mid-flight and came around for a second pass before slamming him full in the chest, catching him off guard and knocking him back against a nearby outcropping with a multitude of cuts and bruises all over his body from where the flock had impacted.

Hinata gasped in shock, but there was nothing she could do to help Naruto, not right now. Instead, she turned back to the other actors, who were still regarding the clashing shinobi in shock. "Everyone, back to the ship! Go!" she shouted, her normally quiet voice catching them all by surprise, _Byakugan_ active as she tried to help her teammates by giving them less things to worry about. And there was something about that armor she was trying to puzzle out. So far, everyone had fled... except... Yukie... Koyuki... Fuun... whoever she was. She just stood there. Dazed.

"Go!" shouted Hinata. She may as well have been talking to an ice sculpture for all the impact it made.

"Your highness!" came Sandayuu's voice as he rushed back across the snow to save her. His voice caught her attention, succeeding where Hinata's had failed. Now there was an impact. But it was equal parts shock and anger.

"Sandayuu... you..."

Content Mizori could finish off the blonde brat, if he was even still alive, Fubuki landed and almost danced her way forward along the snow towards the Princess, but was stopped as a form materialized in front of her, appearing out of nowhere. A form that buzzed angrily as bugs streamed from his jackets sleeves and under his cloak. "I will be your opponent," stated Shino quietly, thrusting out both his arms away from his body. Hidden in the wide sleeves of his coat, a pair of foot long, wooden rods flee free, which he caught into his hands. With an expert flick of his wrists and a twirl of his arms he unsnapped the blade hidden into each rod, revealing them as serrated-edged kama. He took up a ready stance with the hand scythes, looking much like a praying mantis ready to strike.

Fubuki only grinned at that, it was fine by her if the freaky bug kid wanted to be next to die. Instead of charging, she elected to keep her distance, and brought two fingers up as if to blow a kiss, then dropped to a knee and slammed them into the ground.

"_Hyouro no Jutsu_!"

Shino pulled himself back, launching into a handstand and then into a full back flip as the ice in front of him suddenly sprang up like a bear trap, trying to ensnare him once, then twice, and a full third time. He slid out his leg and dug his kama into the ground to catch himself a safe distance from Fubuki, and then hurled a kunai at her as he crouched down on the ground, cloak fluttering about his shoulders. She smirked, raising up another icy wall to barricade herself, content that she was safe, even as the kunai's steel tip penetrated an inch into the frozen barricade.

She was mistaken. The other end of the kunai had an exploding tag on it, and it let loose a mighty boom.

Shino wasn't entirely certain if it worked, but if it hadn't, it would definitely convince her to take him seriously.

--

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Naruto, meanwhile, had fallen out of the Naruto-shaped hole in the cliff side and dragged himself out of the snow, cursing up a storm and suggesting rather unpleasant means of death for the Snow ninja when he got his hands on them. Although how he planned to accomplish some of them without a six foot pole readily available was beyond Kurenai's ability to tell. But Naruto was alright. And he was healing, she could see. The unwanted guest in his body was keeping him safe, and her charges were handling themselves. Now all she had to do was keep away from Rouga, and she'd be fine too. But the wolfish snow ninja was relentless, giving no quarter and even less mercy, his blows vicious as he pounded away at her.

Her hands snapped up into seals and as one of Rouga's punches came at her, the blow slid clear through her body, which exploded in a burst of pink sakura blossoms. Kurenai herself had vanished as the genjutsu took place. She reappeared in another shower of blossoms beside Hinata, who had just barely managed to ward off Mizori with some powerful _Jyuuken _strikes. However, to her shock, Mizori hadn't fallen, and her hands smarted like hell from where she'd hit him.

Kurenai launched herself atop of Mizori, grabbing the scruff of his neck and falling backwards, using her weight to make him fall as well and then kicking up with her legs, launching him into an awkward throw. He was sent crashing to the ground a short distance away as she leapt gracefully to her feet beside Hinata.

"Sensei," she breathed, grateful for backup, her palms red from where she'd struck Mizori. "There's something strange about that armor. I can see it. It's like... it's like a wall of chakra protecting them."

"Chakra armor," grumbled Kurenai. "And it's even stronger than last time."

"You remember, kunoichi-chan," remarked Rouga, landing beside the girls and taking his time as he strolled towards them. Behind him, Mizori was already starting to rise, unharmed. "This armor empowers my chakra and makes my techniques even stronger than before. Moreover, it nullifies your chakra and sends it back to you. You can't win against us, no matter what tricks you have."

Not entirely true, thought Kurenai. Her own tricks were primarily genjutsu, apparently they could still fool the Snow ninjas senses to an extent. But Hinata's _Jyuuken_ would be useless, and she didn't want to even imagine what might happen to Shino's bugs if they tried to latch on to one of the Snow ninja. As for...

... oh god.

As if seemingly in cue with her thoughts, a low growl echoed across the snow, a feral sound that send shivers down even the seemingly unshakable Snow ninjas, as Naruto pushed himself to his feet. A blood red aura had coalesced around his body, and his features were beginning to distort from the sheer power pouring out of his body. His cheek whiskers grew thicker and more pronounced, and fangs slid into place along his lips. When his eyes opened, they were no longer a sky blue, but a terrible red. Naruto threw back his head and roared.

"What the hell is that?" spat Mizori.

"Ignore it! Get the girls!" shouted Rouga, snapping his hands together into some seals as he turned to face Naruto. "I don't know what you are boy, but this'll cool you down... _Hyouton, Haryuu Mouko_!"

The icy hillside split asunder under the force of Rouga's jutsu, and an icy tiger arose from the crack, speeding towards Naruto. He barely even flinched, kicking his powerful legs and launching himself into the air as the frozen tiger slammed into the ground, landing in a crouch right before Rouga, his terrible crimson eyes locked on the wolfish Snow ninja, ready to tear him to pieces with the terrible claws that had replaced his blunt fingernails. Rouga's green eyes opened wide with shock. There was no way...!

Suddenly a cry rang out, and the boy's crimson gaze snapped over to the girls, where Hinata had just been struck down by a brutal blow from Mizori. In an instant, the boy was gone, seemingly having forgotten all about Rouga, and was charging down the hillside on all fours with a new target in mind. Rouga let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and decided to alter tactics a bit.

No freak of nature was going to keep them from their prize.

--

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--

In retrospect, Shino thought, he might've made a mistake.

Getting Fubuki to take him seriously as an opponent was proving to be very difficult, for now she was attacking in earnest, and his own attacks were proving to be far less effective. Bugs couldn't do much against ice and snow, after all, this wasn't their native environment. And Shino knew close to nil fire-related jutsu, and was doubtful he had enough chakra left to use one now as it was. He was playing purely on the defensive now, jumping out of the way of her ice prison attacks and, in the rare event she did managed to actually snare him, making sure it was a _Mushi Bunshin _she grabbed instead of the genuine article. But all this meant was he was running low on chakra and plans, and slowly being forced into a corner.

Or so it seemed.

As Shino dropped down into a crouch by the edge of the glacier, seemingly only a few feet away from the icy cold and highly dangerous waters beyond, he seemed defeated. He was panting heavily for breath and had exhausted his supply of kunai and exploding tags, his pouches now close to empty. His reserves were on the ship, and he highly doubted the pink-haired Snow kunoichi would allow for a time-out so he could go and retrieve more. Fubuki could take her time, deciding how best to finish him off. Or simply knock him into the drink and let pneumonia do the job for her.

In reality, however, Shino's resources hadn't been expended, but well spent. He'd sent some of his kikai out in small bunches to try and attack Fubuki, but his attacks had been dodged and repelled easily. However, rather than recall his allies, he had been giving additional instructions for them to slowly gather in another location and prepare for another attack. They would soon be in position, as he kneeled on the edge of the tiny peninsula he now stood. All he needed to do was get Fubuki to come just a bit closer...

... now!

Shino hurled himself forward and threw up his arm, simultaneously taking a swing with his serrated kama and letting kikai bugs swarm from his sleeve towards Fubuki. Predictably, she blocked, throwing up her arm, and his kama met with a sharp clang and a wicked screech as it was harmlessly deflected. His bugs were similarly defeated, and they were harmlessly swatted aside by the chakra armor gauntlet (for some reason, they found the armor distasteful to be near). However, they provided enough of a distraction for Shino to land behind her and thrust out with an awkward back kick that caught her in the small of her back, knocking her forward towards the freezing water. She caught herself moments before she went into the freezing water (wheeling her arms to regain her balance in an almost comical motion) and turned to face him...

... and found the light of the sun being slowly blotted out above her.

Fubuki's bright green eyes turned skywards, and opened wide in nothing short of pure shock as a it seemed like a small black meteor came hurtling down towards her. And with her on the edge of the peninsula she didn't have many places to run, hide, or dodge. Shino had maneuvered her right where he'd wanted her. Even if she chose to lunge forward at the last minute, that was where he was, and she'd be stepping into close-range and be sliced to pieces by his mantis blades. From what he'd seen of her fighting style, much like the puppet-master, she preferred to be far away from a fight once it started.

Wasting no time, the Aburame leapt clear as his bugs struck with the force of a cannonball, slamming into Fubuki and smashing into the ground hard enough to make it shake...

--

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--

Naruto came barreling down with the force of a small tidal wave, slamming into Mizori's back just as he'd shot off an extension of his left gauntlet, a sort of metal grappler/hand that he'd intended to grab Yukie with. Naruto's impact sent his aim off, and knocked him off to the side, but he hadn't been his real target. Instead he'd rushed forward to his real objective, fangs and crimson aura vanishing as he beheld Hinata. The pale-eyed girl was lying crumpled in Kurenai's arms, with a very nasty looking bruise on her lily-white forehead. Fortunately, she let out a moan when Naruto approached to inspect the injury, indicating she was relatively alright. But it was doubtful she could fight much anymore.

... a rumbling rocked the glacier, and Naruto barely had seconds to react before he saw Shino come hurtling towards them in awkward jump. It looked like he wouldn't quite make his projected landing, and he stumbled, Naruto barely managing to catch him with a free arm awkwardly. Thankfully, it was enough for Shino to regain his balance. Shino glanced up, tilting his sunglasses to get a better view. Had it worked? Had he got her?

A giggle came from high up in the sky, and he turned to see she'd managed to escape, courtesy of a pair of wings installed into the back of her armor. With no obvious exits to run, she'd escaped in an un-obvious fashion, and flown straight up, avoiding the attack entirely. Shino's opinion of his enemy rose a notch. He hadn't expected that. Clearly, he wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve.

Naruto barely gave the girl a glance other than to know she was still an active enemy, his attention, more wholly focused on Hinata. The bruise didn't look so bad as that, but if he remembered what Kurenai had told him about head blows, it could be far worse if...

"Naruto!" Kurenai's voice snapped him back to reality. "Get the Princess and go! Shino! Go with him! NOW!! That's a priority!" she stated, standing, handing the unconscious girl to Naruto, who took her easily into his arms.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me!" she snapped. "Finish the mission. Get Koyuki safely to her destination. I am counting on you, Uzumaki Naruto," she added, her ruby red gaze flashing.

He gulped, but nodded, and took off running, Hinata in his arms, Sandayuu by his side, carrying Koyuki. He glanced back as they neared the ship, seeing his sensei being overcome by two of the Snow ninjas, the third one circling overhead. Grimly, he remembered her instructions. Get them to the ship. Get them to their destination. The Princess. The Mission. He arrived back at the boat and ran up the gangplank along with the last of the filming crew (who'd been trying to capture the entire battle on tape) and quickly made his way to a relatively secure place to set Hinata down. Once she and the Princess were safe, he planned to rush back and help his teammates...

But by now the ship had moved too far from the glacier, even for a good shinobi leap, to reach. Naruto couldn't get to Kurenai, and she couldn't get back to the ship. Not unless she was willing to hop-skip-jump from floating ice to floating ice and pray she didn't slip and get dunked in the freezing cold waters.

"Kurenai-sensei!" he shouted.

--

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--

Rouga growled darkly, thoroughly and completely pissed off at having lost the Princess, and he and his teammates were going to take it out of Kurenai's hide, piece by bloody piece. If for no other reason than for the sheer pleasure of it. As it was, she didn't look the least bit worried about being virtually surrounded by unfriendly faces. Her expression was serene, her ruby eyes closed, her lips murmuring a silent prayer.

"Be safe," she whispered, before her hands came up and she formed some quick seals.

"_Hyakkaryouran_," she intoned, eyes snapping opening as her hands flew apart. Materializing within and suddenly flung forward was a thousand pink sakura blossoms, which blossomed into a small cloud of them and settled over the island, obscuring the view of the Snow ninjas. When they blinked, it seemed as if Kurenai had vanished. But this didn't deter them. Genjutsu had only limited affect against those wearing the chakra armor design, after all. After a few minutes of concentration, Rouga was rewarded by the somewhat blurred image of Kurenai, still standing exactly where she'd been. He was a bit annoyed she wouldn't come into sharp focus (she must have been a very gifted genjutsu specialist) but he could see her. The real her. So she was helpless.

"You stupid girl, you can't beat us with a simple illusion!" snarled Rouga.

"Beat you?" asked Kurenai, cocking an eyebrow. A wide smirk spread over her crimson lips. "Not quite what I had in mind," she replied, lifting up a finger. At first, Rouga was confused. A KO warning? No, she was pointing, and then she pointed down at her feet. Where lay a small scroll rolled out and kunai-nailed into place in the ice, bearing a large and decidedly menacing looking kanji. She'd used the brief genjutsu to allow her a chance to remove the scroll from her vest and put it into position. And if it did what he thought it did...!

"See ya," she said, and without warning dropped down to a crouch and slammed her hand down against the scroll, activating it.

A ball of white light engulfed the scroll, then spread out over Kurenai, the Snow Ninjas, and then the entire small island of ice. It was followed quickly by a shockwave of such awesome power it cracked the island in two and sent small tsunami's rippling through the waters, pushing the ship off-course and knocking it's occupants clean off their feet. Naruto quickly recovered, however, and scrambled to his feet, along with Shino, even as the crew quickly worked to right the ship and secure everything that had been thrown about.

They saw only destruction. The whole island had been blown to pieces, and there was nothing but fragments of ice floating in the water.

"I'm going after her!" shouted Naruto, shrugging off his cloak and preparing to leap over the railing. He was nearly over the side when a powerful hand caught his shoulder.

"That water must be below freezing," stated Shino, his normally calm voice quavering with emotion. He, too, was contemplating leaping over the side to save his mentor. But logic had to win out for the Aburame. And logic told him it was a foolish course of action. "We... we can't do anything more for her..."

"The hell we can't!" roared Naruto, right into his face. "We have to do something for...!"

"There she is!" shouted one of the crewmen.

"Man overboard!" cried out another.

Kurenai drifted in the water, unconscious. It was difficult to tell how badly hurt she was, but she looked pretty banged up as she drifted towards the boat, clinging to a floating piece of ice as a means to keep afloat. But she wouldn't stay that way for long.

Naruto shrugged off his teammates hand and pulled himself up onto the railing. "Grab my ankles," he shouted to Shino, not bothering to wait and see if his teammate would comply as he snapped his hands together and unleashed a small hoard of _Kage Bunshin_. Working together, each one grabbing the other's ankles, with larger and heavier Shino as the anchor, they formed a chain and swung themselves into the water to grab up Kurenai and bring her up out of the water. They were as delicate as they could, not wishing to injure her further, but of greater priority was to get her warm, and fast. Gently, they set her down on the deck. Not medic-nin themselves, Shino and Naruto stepped aside and let the ship's surgeon take Kurenai downstairs to her cabin and under some warm blankets as quickly as they could. The _Kage Bunshin_, several of whom were dripping wet and miserable, puffed out of existence, leaving only the original.

His sensei out of immediate danger (or at least, nothing more that he could do for her) Naruto turned his attention to Hinata, but she was already starting to stir and come round, and it looked like the nasty bump on her head would turn out to be just that. But he was so grateful he took her in his arms and clung to her for dear life, as if terrified to let go would be to lose her again. He'd been terrified when he'd heard her scream.

Shino alone had managed to keep his cool throughout the crisis, but as he stood beside the railing of the ship, he felt his hands shake. He'd been nervous too, he admitted privately to himself. Worried about losing his teammates every bit as much as Naruto was. But it did them no good for him to shout and whine and run about in circles worrying. He had to think now. And wait. And see what happened.

--

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--

In the distance, on one of the larger hunks of ice, the Snow ninjas watched sullenly as their prey escaped. They'd been careless. It wouldn't happen a second time. Next time they'd be ready, freaks or no, tricks or no. They had power on their side. And that trumped anything second-rate weaklings from Konoha could throw at them. Even so, the mere fact they'd beaten infuriated all hell out of them.

"What now?" asked Mizori, folding his board and securing it to his back.

"Do we go after them?" asked Fubuki lightly, brushing some snow from her shoulder with a casual gesture. "Some good exploding tags..."

"... and the whole ship sinks, along with the Princess -and- the crystal," stated Rouga, shaking with rage, clenching and unclenching his fists. Deliberately, he forced himself to calm down. "Fubuki, follow, keep out of their line of sight and report where they land, then return to the castle. We'll figure out where we make our next strike from there. Mizori, you're with me."

"Roger!" she replied, gracefully leaping up, using Mizori's shoulder as a stepping stone to launch herself up into the air once more and unfurling her wings, floating gracefully as a dove in the sky. Rouga, meanwhile, called on one of his jutsu to summon an icy boat and he and Mizori climbed in and began to make their way back towards their home base.

They'd failed this time. Next time, there would be no mercy.

--

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--

Naruto never felt the cold. The worst winters of Konoha, in an apartment with windows stuck open, he'd never felt more than slightly chilly, annoyed more by the breeze than by the temperature. But right now, seeing his sensei, he knew what it was like to be chilled, right down to the bone.

She was breathing, but very slowly. She seemed to have survived the very worst of the blast, her body was almost completely unmarked. She hadn't been so lucky escaping from the frozen waters. Her skin was clammy and pale, and despite several thick, warm blankets covering her she was shivering in her sleep, tossing fitfully. The surgeon had assured the members of Team Eight she'd make a full recovery, but it had been a very near thing. Another minute or two in the water...

... they didn't even want to think about that.

He felt numb all over, as if all the warmth had been leeched not only from his body but from his soul as well. Maybe Koyuki had been right about the Snow Country, he idly mused. It was so cold and lifeless it sucked the spirit right out of you.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

Now is where the story is going to undergo considerable diversion from the original movie, and promises of a big happy ending are not going to be made. Shino's serrated kamas haven't -quite- been introduced into S'tarKan's story but they're part of the training regimen he's learning from his mother, a sort of 'Mantis' fighting style mentioned in recent chapters.


	4. Revelations

It was a little more than a day later when the ship reached the harbor of the Snow Country proper, thankfully without any further interruptions. Kurenai was still deep asleep, however, and had been much of the night. Hinata hadn't left her bedside for an instant. But she was slowly regaining some color in her cheeks, and they knew she'd pull through. She was their sensei, after all. Nothing could stop her, or so they naively thought in the way that only young people could think of their mentors, incorrectly believing them to be infallible and indestructible.

The rest of the team was in remarkably good shape, all things considered. Naruto didn't even have a scratch, though his uniform was torn and ripped from Fubuki's ice birds. Fortunately after previous troubles with his uniform he'd made a note to always pack at least a few duplicates away when on a mission. Hinata's head injury had been nothing worse than a nasty bruise, some healing ointment was applied, and she bid it farewell the very next day, though the area was still sensitive whenever she touched it or shook her head, so she made certain to be especially slow and careful in her movements for the time being. Shino also managed to escape without many injuries, and he'd taken a chance back on the ship to dig into his emergencies supplies and re-arm himself for their next, inevitable encounter with the Snow ninja. He didn't intend to be caught off-guard a second time. It was only a pity that Kurenai hadn't taught them many fire jutsu, they would've been very handy about now.

Team Eight left the filming crew to organize their stuff into the heavy trucks that would carry it the rest of the way, when they took off in the late afternoon. By then, they'd hoped, the storm clouds overhead would have cleared, and the going would be easier, since any additional snowfall would have to be cleared from the roads. Hopefully by then Kurenai would be well enough to travel.

But now Team Eight had to finish the mission without her. And to do that, they needed answers. Fortunately, for his sake, Sandayuu felt the same way they did. Deceiving them would accomplish nothing at this point, and might even do more damage in the long run. It was a wise decision on his part, not least of which because at this point Naruto was on the verge of pounding the answers out of him by force, and Shino and Hinata were of such a like mind they wouldn't have stopped him if they did. So the three of them, Sandayuu himself, and the film's producer and director now sat down at the harbor inn's back room. Some tea had been poured, but no one had touched a drop.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" began Shino, after a moment's thought. "You know that the actress was someone more than she appeared to be. You knew... that is why you really wanted protection, wasn't it?"

"Hai," he replied morosely. He still felt deeply responsible for what had happened to Kurenai.

"You must have known what would happen. That the Snow ninja would be after her. Why didn't you warn us?" Shino pressed on.

"I didn't know for certain they would strike, I was hoping they'd forgotten about her... thought her gone..." he fidgeted nervously. "If I warned you, you might tell her I knew of her secret... she would know. This was the only way I could get Princess Koyuki back to the country of her birth... back to her destiny..." he trailed off.

"So her real name is Kazahana Koyuki?" asked Hinata curiously.

He nodded. "Fujikaze Yukie was a fake name," said Sandayuu. "Adopted to keep her safe after her father was overthrown ten years ago, when she was only a child. But she was, and still is, the heiress of the Snow Country. I haven't seen her in almost nine years... I am not surprised she doesn't remember me... didn't remember me," he amended weakly.

Naruto's wrinkled his nose, something didn't smell quite right to him. "You're not an ordinary manager then, are you?"

"No. I am also from the Snow Country. I served at the side of the previous ruler, Kazahana Sousetsu. Back when things were peaceful... before... before the incident..." he began more slowly, "Sousetsu's younger brother, Dotou, hired some mercenary missing-nin, revolted, and seized power. Against the Snow Ninjas and their special armor, the palace guard were helpless. The beautiful Kazahana castle was burnt to the ground, and we were certain we'd lost the Damiyo and the Princess both..."

"... but you didn't."

All eyes snapped to the doorway at once. Leaning on the frame, wrapped in a heavy blanket, but standing on her own two feet and looking considerably better, was Yuuhi Kurenai. Naruto and Hinata were on their feet almost at once, arms wrapped around their sensei, almost clinging to her before she managed to assure them that yes, she was okay, she would live, etc. and that if they could get her some hot tea and a comfy seat, she'd be that much better off. Naturally, she'd had both things before she could bat her ruby eyes. Shino was much more reserved in his greetings, but even he stood and offered Kurenai a seat to rest in, and she could tell that all of her students had been truly worried about her well-being.

Settling into her seat and taking a moment to sip her tea, letting the warmth fill her body, Kurenai started again.

"Princess Kazahana Koyuki, heir to the throne of the Snow Country... wasn't killed in the fire, of course. She was rescued by a team of Konoha shinobi..." she began, and let her own story unfold.

--

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--

_... the castle was ablaze, the fire dancing in the falling snowflakes, casting an eerie, burnt orange glow over the landscape. Cold wind whipped at Kurenai's exposed face as she stumbled in the snow, falling forward, catching herself with her arms at the last moment. An action she regretted, as a sharp pain went right up her left arm, right where she landed on her elbow. _

_However, she was thankful she had fallen when a flurry of arrows flew over her head, and she ducked it down, gray hair disheveled and tangled as she stood back up after the volley had passed, her eyes open, searching for her comrades. Immediately, she heard the clash of metal on metal, and ran towards it, finding Kobaru and Nomaru in a fight with some Snow shinobi, including a pink-haired girl who couldn't have been older than she was, and a big, heavyset teen with a thick brow, who was hurling some kunai at her teammates. _

_Kobaru-sensei stumbled in the snow, his leg bleeding from a kunai jammed into his knee. But he was still big and strong with plenty of power left, and his next blow caught his attacker off-guard and sent them hurtling through the air to slam into a nearby tree. _

_"Kurenai! Get the girl and go! Nomaru! Go with her! NOW!" _

_As one, three newly made genins scrambled, stumbling through the snow, dodging under kunai and flaming arrows being hurled through the darkness. And then, that laughter. Kurenai glanced up, one arm around the young Princess to protect her, and spotted Kobaru-sensei's opponent, a lanky, thin man with pale hair and a feral expression. _

_And then the feral man turned to her, and grinned, and she turned and ran, unable to stop, her legs carrying her. But the Princess stumbled, and she went down with her. As she did, she caught a flash of light in the fire. It glinted off of an amethyst gemstone hanging from her neck. It was beautiful... and it must've been worth a fortune... _

_... Princess Koyuki certainly valued it. She clung to it in her hand as they stood and again took off, running towards the river. Mattai was there to greet them, apparently none-the-worse for wear, with a skiff and a pole ready to move them down-river and towards the coast, where they could catch a ship back to the Fire Country..._

--

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--

"... we couldn't win against the Snow ninja back then, not with only a three-man reconnaissance team and their jounin-sensei. We had to retreat. The life of the Princess was our mission. From there, I lost track of her. She'd only been one mission of many, after all," she said with a shrug. "And she'd survived."

"Survived and did well for herself," added Sandayuu, tears starting to stream down his cheeks as he remembered all the hardships he, the Princess, and the Snow Country had gone through. "I found her when she was on the stage... I recognized her instantly."

Realization hit.

"Of course," said Shino, his mind buzzing with activity as pieces fell into place, like a jigsaw puzzle he could finally see the image for. "You were the one who wrote and organized this whole movie venture. The Unlucky Princess was a means to lure her back to the Snow Country without her realizing it... you plan to have her... use her," he amended, "Use her to incite a rebellion to overthrow this Kazahana Datou."

"You've been using us?" asked the assistant director, righteous anger evident in his tone and his stance. Beside him, the elder director didn't seem phased at all, none could truly say what he was thinking. Perhaps he'd even been in on the plan with Sandayuu.

"He would have used you all... and me as well," came a voice from the door, and again all eyes turned to see Princess Koyuki standing there, her expression dull, drained of emotion. She could have been discussing the weather rather than how casually she'd been manipulated by one she called a friend.

"This was for the sake of the Snow Country," Sandayuu replied quickly.

Koyuki sighed heavily, having expected that. "It would've been better if I'd died that day."

"Please don't say that, your highness," said Sandayuu. "To us, the fact that you are alive is our only hope!"

"The Princess you knew is long since dead," she replied coldly. "She died with her father. I shed my last tears for her years ago. And you," she added, her voice dropping in volume. The air in the room seemed to follow suit. "You are worse than an evil bastard, Sandayuu, you are an imbecile. You cannot defeat Datou, and I will -never- help you in this foolish endeavor to get yourself killed. You can't win, so just give u-..."

A palm came down on the table with enough force to make the whole room shudder, or so it seemed, and all eyes riveted to the blonde boy in green who'd slammed his hand down and stood angrily. Naruto's other hand was clenched into a fist and shaking violently.

"Don't you dare say 'give up' so easily!" said Naruto darkly. "That old man is risking his life for his people and his dream, and you're just standing there like a spoiled brat! I won't -ever- forgive you for something like that!"

Two sets of harsh blue eyes met as Princess and Shinobi stared one another down. However, the former quickly found herself outmatched when eyes of pale white, reflective black, and encompassing ruby added themselves to his. To everyone's surprise, it was the director who then spoke up and broke the stare down, saying "Because you didn't give up, you'll be able to see a dream... because you're able to see a dream, the future will come."

"Final Act, Scene Three," Shino quoted right back. "End of the first movie."

A smile spread across the director's wrinkled face, impressed by Shino's memory. "This would make an interesting turn of events... it would be a shame not to take advantage of this. Think about it... a real Princess for once. It's too great an opportunity to pass up!"

Koyuki huffed and spun on her heel, stalking out angrily. "It's just a stupid movie," she muttered under her breath.

"You can't run and hide anymore, Fujikaze Yukie," stated Kurenai, turning in her seat, and deliberately using her false name to get a reaction. She got it. Her words froze Koyuki in her steps. Despite the heavy blanket and disheveled hair, the genjutsu kunoichi looked as regal as a Princess herself. "Dotou knows you're alive. He'll hunt you down to the ends of the Earth and beyond if he has to. You've only one option now if you want to live."

"Knock his lights out!" added Naruto, fist in the air. "Believe it!"

Koyuki's mouth opened, but in her shock and outrage, she could think of no suitable argument for this, and after a moment snapped it shut and stormed out of the room.

--

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--

In the end, Team Eight agreed to complete the mission, since technically, despite leaving out numerous facts, Sandayuu was still their client, and he hadn't strictly speaking lied about their job or it's dangers. And now that they had more information, not just about their client but their enemy, they stood a better chance of success. So the mission, to get Koyuki safely to the capitol of the Snow Country, continued. Kurenai would've vastly preferred one more team in a support function, like Asuma and his Ino-Shika-Chou team. Alas, they would have to make do without Shikamaru's muttering, Ino's whining, and Chouji's snacking.

Although if Naruto had found he disliked Koyuki before, he positively hated her now. She was even less like Princess Fuun than he'd imagined, she was spoiled and selfish and cold and heartless, and she had virtually no redeeming features. If it hadn't been for Sandayuu's pleading, and the chance to help an old man see his dream, he would've told the Princess to go drown herself in sake and gone back to Konoha. Although that was if he could convince Kurenai and his teammates to go with him. He'd never abandon Shino or Hinata. They were practically family.

The caravan set out sometime in the early afternoon. It was snowing lightly and a considerable nuisance, but the storm showed no signs of getting any better anytime soon, so they decided to press on rather than simply wait it out. Storms in the Snow Country could last for days, after all. Fortunately, the going up the mountain passes seemed relatively easy, no snow slides or the like stood in their way. Their plan was to climb the mountain passes, along the roads, slip underneath a wide tunnel/cave in the middle of their route, and reach a small village on the other side where more of Sandayuu's comrades could be found. They'd be relatively safe there.

Team Eight, however, had the unfortunate job of guard duty, regardless of the weather, and so they'd had to set themselves up at the front, back, and middle of the caravan in case Rouga and his Snow buddies got anxious for another attack. Shino was up front, riding atop of one of the wagons, and thoroughly miserable, shivering under his blanket, his kikai colony sluggish and slow in the weather, practically refusing to leave the warm confines of his body for the outside world. Hinata was in the far back, her _Byakugan_ periodically active to scan for enemies from the rear, and equally chilled down to the bone, her lips quivering and blue. Naruto took up an unfixed position in the middle, confident that if an attack came from either end he'd be able to send a small horde of _Kage Bunshin_ down to help his teammates. Of them all, he alone didn't feel the cold's bite so sharply, but that almost made him feel that much worse with guilt for not being able to relieve his teammates burden.

Kurenai sat at the front with Shino, though she'd only managed to get this far simply because she was Team Eight's jounin sensei. Even Hinata, the most docile and quiet of them, had insisted that Kurenai stay out of danger and keep inside of the caravan so she wouldn't risk catching ill. Naruto had backed her up, and come dangerously close to suggesting they tie her down to keep her out of trouble, such as she'd once had to do to keep him in the hospital to properly heal.

Fortunately, no attack came that day, and they reached the ice tunnels without incident.

But that was where the real trouble began.

--

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--

Thankful for a chance to climb into one of the vehicles with Sandayuu and be shielded from the cold air, Team Eight was resting comfortably as the vehicles made their way through the ice caverns towards the other side. There was virtually no danger for them in here. However, as they passed through, they saw a wonderful sight... the rock caves, frozen in slick ice from condensation, which reflected the light from the trailers in a beautiful display of color. Hinata and Naruto spent most of the trip with their faces pressed up against the glass, wanting to see it better.

"It's amazing," said Hinata. "But why are we traveling under the mountain... wouldn't it be safer to travel above in case of a cave-in?"

"This place used to be a railway station," replied Sandayuu.

"Railway?"

"It's old technology," explained Kurenai. "Steam would propel a great engine train and whatever carts were behind it along a metal track... which must be below us."

Sandayuu nodded. "Frozen solid, I'm afraid, from years of neglect. Right below us. The old Snow Country used to benefit greatly from old technology. Our Damiyo, Kazahana Sousetsu, was something of an expert on the subject. He did a lot of research to advance the effects of the machines and to improve them. And the Snow Country prospered because of it... until the incident, of course."

Naruto peered out the window and looked down, but he couldn't see it. That was a great pity, as it sounded fantastic. He'd have given anything to see one of the "trains" that Kurenai and Sandayuu was describing. It sounded downright amazing. And this from a boy who had a nine-tailed fox sealed away inside of his belly.

However, all too soon, their trip through the cave ended and they reached the other side. Bundling up, the shinobi team climbed out as the filming crew began to set up for the day's recording, unfurling wire and setting up remote cameras and the like in strategic positions. The movie had seemingly evolved since it started, and now they were working on the spur of the moment, something that their current Director seemingly excelled at. However, almost immediately, a problem had arisen with the star of the film.

"Director-sama! It's Yukie-san! She's done a runner again!"

Naruto slapped his forehead angrily. Honestly, that spoiled Princess...!

He was about to turn around and make all possible haste down the cave when Shino came into view, holding up a hand. "There is no need to be concerned," he stated. "I anticipated something of this nature would occur."

A fox-like grin spread over Naruto's face as he realized Shino's ploy. He should've known really, it was standard practice for Team Eight. Shino had laid one of his colony, one of the females, onto Koyuki sometime during their voyage. The males in his system could track the female by scent over considerable distance. Princess Koyuki could run all she wanted, but she couldn't hide from a tracker team like them.

Or so they thought.

Unfortunately, even Team Eight had it's limits, and they soon reached them at the other end of the tunnel where Koyuki had given them the slip. For one, Shino's bugs had only limited sense of smell under even the best of circumstances, and they simply couldn't track with the legendary capabilities of the Bikouchuu or the like. Usually this wouldn't be a problem, by now Kurenai or Hinata would've picked up Koyuki's trail, but with the snow still falling it was already being obliterated from view, vanishing into a world of pure white.

"No choice then, we do this the old-fashioned way," stated Kurenai, adjusting the radio in her ear. "I will stay here in case she comes back, the three of you split up, go separate ways, and radio the instant you spot her or trouble. If it's an enemy, don't engage alone," she added.

"Roger!"

"Alright!"

"Understood!"

As one, blurs of pale blue, creamy white, and dark green vanishes into the snowy wilderness. Kurenai folded her arms across her chest, though it was much a gesture to keep warm as it was of waiting. She didn't like the Snow Country any more than the Princess did, right now.

--

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--

As it turned out, it was Hinata who caught up to Koyuki this time. Apparently she'd taken a bad tumble sometime during her escape into the wilderness, and sprained her ankle. By the time the Hyuuga Heiress had found her, she was face-first in the snow, unconscious. She'd quickly radioed for back-up, and then moved in closer to see if there was anything she could do while she waited for Naruto and Shino to arrive.

Seeing Koyuki like this felt so alien to her, even now. First she'd been an idol, not just as a character but as an actress, a woman who'd known what she'd wanted to do and done it with all the confidence and grace the Hyuuga failure had lacked. Then that happy illusion had shattered when she'd met her in person, and seen she was in her own way as miserable and trapped as she herself felt on occasion. But now, seeing her like this, unconscious, vulnerable, helpless even... she couldn't help but pity her, a little. Gently, she reached out a hand and smoothed back a long black strand of hair out of her face. Would she ever look that beautiful, she wondered. Even now, even when she'd been drunk and a mess and worse, she always looked so incredibly beautiful.

Footsteps falling in the snow were muffled but she heard them anyway, but was relived to see the familiar green and blonde image of Naruto making his way towards them. Shino followed a bit further back.

"Good job, Hinata," Naruto said with one of his trademark smiles. He seemed to have been unconsciously picking up a few habits from his training partners Gai and Lee, as the wattage on the smile nearly blinded Hinata. That, or maybe because it was simple praise from the one she cared for.

Either way, it didn't seem so cold out anymore.

--

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--

Ultimately it had fallen to Naruto to carry Koyuki as they made their way back to the tunnels and the rest of the film crew. As the heavy muscle of their team he was best qualified, and Shino and Hinata were just as qualified to make sure no danger came after him while he was relatively encumbered and unable to fight properly. Still, if worse came to worse, he was their fastest runner, and thus could get the spoiled Princess/actress to safety the best.

He didn't like it much though. She was heavy -and- she was insufferably depressing.

"Just leave me be," she mumbled, apparently too weak to even argue much as she simply let Naruto carry her.

"We cannot do that," said Shino, trailing alongside her. "It is our mission to watch over you."

"We don't want to see you get hurt," added Hinata quietly.

A heavy sigh from the Princess, who seemed resigned to her unpleasant fate, knowing there was little way she could escape Team Eight's superior tracking abilities. No matter where she went, it seemed there was no way to escape her destiny.

She said as much.

And that just ticked off Naruto even more, who gave a low growl beneath her. Now she was starting to sound just like Hinata's cousin Neji, and all he'd said during the Chuunin exams. "That's garbage," he spat. "You make your own destiny in this world. You should never give up fighting for what you really want, no matter how tough it is. Even if you get hurt. Even if you die," he added firmly. "Some day, I am going to be Hokage. Some day Hinata is going to become the best Kunoichi in all of Konoha." Hinata blushed profusely at that, though she was grateful she had been walking behind Naruto, and he couldn't see it. "And some day Shino is finally going to crack a smile and laugh his head off!" he added, with more than a little of his usual mischief. Hinata giggled at that behind her hands. Shino quirked an eyebrow from behind his sunglasses but said nothing either way.

"These are -our- dreams. And nobody's going to get in the way. And yeah, it's hard sometimes. Really hard. But if you don't give up, and keep on believing in your dreams then they -will- come true."

Koyuki lifted her head, but her eyes were still cold and dead. "Kid... you watch too many movies."

--

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**Author's Notes: **

What exactly -are- Shino's dream and aspirations? Damn you Kishimoto, give the guy some background!


	5. War

Shino's came to a dead stop, foot scraping on the stone floor. To his teammates, who knew his behavior patterns, this may as well have been Shino jumping up, yelling, and flashing a bright neon sign that said 'trouble' in capitol letters.

"Can you hear that?" he said, tilting his head to the side, bringing up a hand to tug down on his collar and cup at his ear to amplify the sound. Though in truth, there was no need. They could all hear it by now. The blow of steam. The roar of an engine.

As they watched, the floor began to shimmer, and then a long series of metal lines stretched out from one end to the other. Train tracks. Concealed by genjutsu or hidden under the now-melted ice, they couldn't tell. Suffice to say that they hadn't been there before, and now they unquestioningly were. And the sounds were getting louder, and none of Team Eight wanted very much to find out what the source of them was. They started to move, running along at a light jog, saving their energy in case they'd need it later. As well, both Shino and Hinata kept close to Naruto, who was hampered by the heavy Princess.

As they ran, the sounds only got louder. They could also hear the distinct groan of metal now, and that rarely meant anything pleasant.

"It's a train," breathed Koyuki. She hadn't seen one since she'd been a little girl.

"Train?" asked Naruto, tilting his head up as he jogged along. He tried to glance back and see what was coming. And immediately regretted it. As the train rounded the corner, it became visible, the light on it's front illuminating the cavern and outline the fearsome metal shape, twice as big as the whole caravan and much longer. Worse, it was barreling down on them with a speed reminiscent of very, very fast horses. They'd be overtaken in moments.

"Oh crap," said Naruto. Without warning he dropped Koyuki, handing her to Shino, and slapped his hands quickly against his opposite wrists and then against his ankles. Sewn into the garments he'd been wearing several special, chakra-charged weights had been added on insistence of his morning taijutsu instructor, Maito Gai. Instead of just increasing weight again and again until a shinobi lost sight of his own feet (as Lee would have done ages ago if he'd gone that route) the metal was designed to absorb the users chakra and increase in weight, while retaining the same size. These Naruto (and later Hinata) had added to their shinobi outfits to help their training.

But now was not training. Now was life-or-death. When his palms hit the weights, Naruto's chakra charged back into his body and out of the weights, making them light as paper. Without warning and with little preamble he grabbed Koyuki back from Shino and took off like a shot down the corridor, his teammates in close pursuit.

Their delay had slowed them down a bit, and the train was approaching rapidly, unhindered by the icy pillars in the cave as the three shinobi were. Still, they picked up speed and grimly pushed on. Shino and Hinata ran flat out, keeping up with Naruto, who still was being hampered by Koyuki's awkward weight and size on his back. Together, the three of them were slowly being overtaken by the black metal behemoth behind them. Seemingly on cue with their thoughts, it blew steam again, the sound ominous in the cavern.

"We're going to be flattened!" screamed Koyuki.

"Not on my watch!" Naruto replied, grimly putting on more speed.

"It's impossible!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" he roared darkly back at her.

"Focus on running!" Shino shouted over the roar of the engine, turning in his own run to hurl two kunai with exploding tags at the train. They hit and gave off a decided boom that would've left virtually any shinobi little more than a greasy spot on the ground. As it was, they barely even left a scratch, and Shino's eyes widened by his ever-present sunglasses. No way to slow it down. He couldn't even hit the wheels, they were obscured by the sloping front of the train. Focusing resources seemed the logical thing to do in a situation like this. Gather all energy to the legs and pump them for all you were worth.

The train was gathering speed all the time, even as they struggled to keep ahead of it. The other end of the tunnel was their only option now, there was no way they could slip out of it's way. They had to get to the end and dive, or they would indeed be flattened. And it seemed so far away.

Sixty yards.

Fifty yards.

Thirty yards.

They wouldn't make it.

Twenty-five.

They couldn't make it.

Twenty.

They had to make it.

Ten.

They would make it!

Five!

Calling on one last burst of speed, tapping reserves he didn't know he even had, Naruto flung himself forward and out of the cavern, launching himself out of the tunnels and plowing directly into the snow, rolling a short distance away from the tracks. Koyuki was dislodged in the motion and went tumbling down after him, though the heavy snow cushioned their fall. Shino and Hinata quickly sprang to either side of the tracks as they emerged, Hinata stumbling before regaining her balance, Shino stumbling and collapsing backwards onto his back, panting heavily for breath, arms spread as he just lay there a moment.

"Naruto! Shino! Hinata!"

Kurenai came charging over, shrugging her heavy blanket in the process as she seemed almost to blink out of view there and rematerialize next to her students in her hurry. Thankfully, they appeared unhurt, just badly out of breath, and the Princess was much the same. Naruto was even laughing, a little, though what he could've possibly have found funny about the situation she had simply no idea. Neither did the Princess, it seemed. She was just watching in sheer disbelief, marveling at how a small boy had been able to carry her -and- outrun a speeding locomotive.

In short, she felt just like Kurenai did when she'd realized the truth about Naruto.

If he believed in something strongly enough, he made the impossible possible.

--

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--

Unfortunately, Naruto's reserves were tapped, and they had more trouble to deal with. The film people were keeping out of the way, for which Kurenai was supremely thankful, but that didn't stop her from being worried when she saw the back end of the locomotive open up and emerge from it a dark figure in a white robe. Some resemblance could be seen to Koyuki. Dark, straight hair, the same blue eyes. But this was a man's face, stern and harsh and unyielding as the winter itself. Deep lines furrowed under his eyes, evident of many sleepless nights, of many lost smiles.

When he announced himself as Lord Kazahana Datou, Kurenai wasn't surprised. So this was Koyuki's uncle. And the killer of her father, Kazahana Sousetsu. No wonder all the color drained from her face.

"It has been a long time, hasn't it, Koyuki?" he asked, his voice amplified by a loudspeaker held in his hand. "Mmm... I think it is time you gave up and surrendered." As he spoke, Kurenai caught sight of Rouga in Datou's shadow. The Snow ninjas were here. No sign yet of the lumbering Mizori or the creepy Fubuki, but they couldn't have been far off. They always traveled in packs.

Kurenai frowned, her mind racing with options, and she hadn't many. Fight? She was still recovering from her dip in the ice water, her chakra was low and her limbs felt like they were filled with wet noodles instead of firm muscles. Flee? She couldn't abandon her team, and she doubted if any of them had any strength left to run. Try to fool Datou and his men? Even if she could pull of a genjutsu, it wouldn't fool the Snow ninjas, not with their chakra armor. They'd break through it in no time, then break her in half for her trouble. No allies to call in either, the film people weren't fighters, though at least they were content to keep their distance and shoot the action, well out of harm's way. Even Sandayuu had fled as soon as the train had appeared, heading up the hillside, away from danger, abandoning his Princess.

Before she could make a decision, however (and thankfully, before the Snow Ninja could decide for her and attack) she her the shift of snow behind her, and glanced back out of the corner of her ruby eyes (keeping her gaze still primarily on her enemies). To her astonishment, Naruto had regained his feet -and- his breath. The boy had stamina in excess, she knew, but this was a bit much to believe. He'd taken a moment to unzip the front of his jacket and give himself a little cool air, exhausted from his running, but otherwise he seemed fine, if winded.

He stood directly in front of the Princess. Even now, he was protecting her. Carrying out the mission.

Picking up his cue, Kurenai turned back to Datou. "Not going to happen."

Dark eyebrows drew together as the self-proclaimed lord of the Snow Country frowned darkly in displeasure. His hand raised up, and instantly everyone tensed. In a moment he was going to order an attack and the Snow ninjas were going to descend on them like the wolves of winter. Kurenai quickly went through her genjutsu arsenal, some quick misdirection might give her team a chance to recover, even though every second was going to...

... and then she stopped, catching sight of something out of the corner of her eye, and marginally relaxed.

Help had arrived.

A number of heavy logs had come barreling down the hillside, along with a great deal of snow, no doubt a trap having been previously set up specifically to stop the train should it come by. And now someone had set it off, to the ragged cheers of Team Eight and to the annoyance and frustration of Datou and the Snow ninjas. And that someone was high up on the nearby hillside, now decked out in his ceremonial armor, which looked oddly out of place against his gray hair and bespeckled appearance.

Sandayuu wasn't alone either.

Fully fifty men, at the very least, similarly armored and armed with a variety of makeshift weapons, and bearing banners with the emblem of the true rulers of the Snow Country, stood on the hillside beside him. Sandayuu hadn't abandoned anyone, it seemed. And he wasn't the only one willing to fight against Datou for the sake of Koyuki.

"Our Princess Koyuki has returned to us!" he called out, as much to his enemies as to his troops. "Victory will be ours! Kazahana Datou! We have waited long for this day... the day you are dethroned, false king! I am Asabasan Sandayuu, representative of the 50th Brigade! Today," he continued, smoothly drawing the katana from it's sheath at his side and holding it up proudly. "We avenge the death of our noble lord, as well as avenge ten years of suffering you paid us! And we take out that debt out on you!"

A cheer arose from the ranks that might as well have been a war-cry, and even Team Eight could feel inspired by some of Sandayuu's speech, new strength flowing into their bodies as they prepared to add their strength to the 50th Brigade and crush their enemy. Datou, however, did not look worried.

On the contrary, he looked positively smug.

"There are still rebels to deal with? Rouga, I thought we'd eliminated them all...?" he asked his subcommander.

"My deepest apologies," replied the pale-haired shinobi, giving a slight bow of his head. "Allow me, I will crush them..."

"No," Datou cut him off. "I want them to experience a truly... hopeless situation," he said, lowering his microphone and making a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Now!"

As the hillside swarmed with soldiers of the Snow Country, charging down towards Datou and his train, the main compartments began to unfold and open up, as Snow ninjas took their positions, arming them, the sides now resembling so much as a wide net full of small holes, barely big enough for a kunai. Their exact purpose couldn't be determined until it was almost too late, but Kurenai could see almost immediately something sinister was happening, and cried out a warning to Sandayuu and his soldiers. She might as well have been trying to stop a tidal wave with her bare hands for all the effect she had.

Datou dropped his hand, another non-verbal signal, and the Snow ninjas unleashed their fury. The machines fired off kunai, she saw now. Not a single one each, not even merely a handful, but hundreds of kunai. And wave after wave of them in rapid order, until it seemed it was raining down metal death. Soldiers were cut down in seconds, many of them, not even standing up to the sheer force of the assault, being cut to ribbons and splattering their patriotic blood all over the snowy hillside, painting the white canvas a deep red of death and suffering.

Even Kurenai, who'd seen her share of death and mutilation during her time as a jounin, felt sick, and all the strength faded from her legs. It was all she could do to keep to her feet. To be strong, for her team.

And that sick bastard Datou was -laughing-!

After what seemed an eternity, the machines stopped, either out of kunai or, judging from the heavy steam rising up from them, overheated. They must've had a limit to their operation time. Not that it mattered, she thought. With a single decisive sweep six nameless Snow shinobi had wiped out an entire battalion, save for...

"Sandayuu!" cried Koyuki.

Her guardian looked like hell, his armor ripped and torn, his glasses broken, kunai sticking from his body, but still, he stood. He would not back down, and would not stop until he was dead. He grimly held onto the katana clutched in his bloodied hand.

"Forgive me... Princess..."

Datou frowned, and made a final gesture with his hand. Again, the machines fired, and a wave of kunai came speeding towards Sandayuu. But he wasn't afraid. He'd caught a glimpse of his dream earlier today, and he'd died fighting for it. Not many could ask for a better way to leave this world than that. So it was he raised his katana in one last gesture of defiance against Datou.

"Forgive... me..."

The kunai struck.

Sandayuu fell.

--

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--

The rebels defeated, Datou turned his attention to the meddlesome Konoha shinobi who'd interfered with his plans, and prepare to let Rouga and his team deal with them. To his surprise, however, they were already moving, running, heading up the hillside and away from danger.

Kurenai was at the lead, and she told them in no uncertain terms what their plan was, which was simply to "Run!"

Team Eight, dead tired but with no other options, did that. Naruto and Kurenai, the least tired of the team, helped Koyuki between them. They ran up the hill where they caught up with Shino and Hinata. Running away from the train tracks and into the wilderness, where the train and it's machines of rapid, inescapable death couldn't follow them. There, they'd be able to zig-zag away from their enemy and get back to the village town in short order, if they were fortunate. If not, well, in the wilderness they might have a better chance of survival than out in the open. None of them had the sheer force necessary to deal with something as terrible as that war machine.

"Wait! We can't just leave them!" said Naruto, indicating the bodies of Sandayuu and the other Brigade.

"We can and will!" Kurenai shouted back, perhaps a bit more harshly than was called for. For a moment, she could almost see them again, her old team. Smell the very distinct scent of death. But this is what they would've wanted. "The living come first, Naruto! It's what the dead would want!"

"Provided we are not added to their number," stated Shino, pointing down the hillside. Rouga and his subordinates were charging up after them, hot in pursuit already.

Kurenai was prepared for that, however, and reaching into one of the pockets of her flak jacket, turned and hurled a pair of black globes down onto the ground behind her, which exploded on impact, letting thick black smoke billow up, obscuring vision. She may have been a genjutsu specialist but there were plenty of good ol' fashioned non-chakra ways to distract and fool the senses, and she happened to know more than a few from her late-night reading. It seemed to work, Rouga and the others were slowing down inside the cloud of black smoke, unable to see and unable to track them. They might have been home free, but unfortunately, things were never that easy.

A great gust of wind filled the air, and just beyond the edge of the smoke, the members of Team Eight watched as the very back of the train, the final compartment, underwent yet another transformation. Fully expecting a flurry of shuriken to descend upon them, they instead watched as a canvas broke out on top, and immediately expanded and filled with hot air. A number of long, elegant metal winds extended from the sides to aid in flight. Lord Datou apparently didn't just have his very own train and mass weapons of destruction, he had his own damn flying zeppelin to boot!

Naruto managed to neatly sum up Team Eight's thoughts on the matter.

"Goddamnit."

An armored hand shot from above the blackness just as they were clearing the hillside on a long extension wire, speeding towards the Princess. Shino sprang into the way to try and knock her clear but missed by mere seconds, and Koyuki gave a sharp scream as it clamped down hard onto her back. Mizori's special attack. The line then immediately went taut, and then wrenched back, yanking her through the air. Unfortunately, as the line went taunt, it also had the misfortune of wrapping around Shino's ankle, and coupled with the Princess forcibly slamming into him, the Aburame bug-user was knocked clean off his feet. Both of them were hauled up into the sky by the brute Mizori and his grapple, heading towards Datou's airship.

"Hey!" Naruto roared, charging back down the hillside, ignoring Kurenai's barking orders. He was about to go after Shino when a new problem presented itself in the form of a pink-haired glider. Cackling overhead, Fubuki swooped underneath the airshop, tossing down exploding kunai to and fro amidst them. Surprisingly, the kunai didn't have exploding tags, but some sort of blue crystal on the end. When it hit, they exploded in a flurry of heavy ice that grew at impossible speeds, hard and sharp as metal, in every direction. But no matter what it was, it was still dangerous.

Naruto quickly decided retreat wasn't an option and instead sprang -forward-, ducking underneath the attack and rolling down the hill awkwardly down towards the tracks, barely avoiding being hit by sharp poles of ice as long and deadly as spears. Hinata, right behind him, managed far better, managing to leap and twist gratefully out of the way of the exploding ice. Kurenai landed beside her, but Hinata shook her head. She was okay. That just left Naruto, and as her ruby gaze scanned the field of icy shards for her loud-mouthed student, she bit back a curse as she finally found him.

"Don't tell me...!"

Uzumkai Naruto dangled from the back of the airship by a leather rope and a thrown kunai, improvising his own grapple. His green jacket, fully unzipped, fluttered about in the breeze as he grimly hung on. As she watched, he was already starting to pull himself further up, and the ship was gaining altitude, there was no way Kurenai and Hinata could get up that high in time.

There was no way he was going to let his teammate fight the Snow ninjas alone.

--

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--

Up on the airship, Shino had his hands full with the brute known as Mizori. He'd tossed aside the Princess to unencumber himself, though he'd also given Shino enough time to spring out his weapon and slice through the bonds around his ankle. Mizori was proving as difficult to beat down as a small mountain, as any blow of Shino's serrated kamas that landed was seemingly absorbed by the chakra armor, the stuff didn't break easily. Worse, as his eyes glanced about behind his ever-present sunglasses, he could see no way to turn the environment to his advantage either. If the ground had been wooden, he could've use his specialized kikai (not unlike termites in some respects) to saw a hole and let the brute fall to his doom. Alas, not an option here.

So it was he'd gone wholly defensive, weaving his kamas before him in a figure-eight pattern, not so much hoping to damage Mizori as keep him at a distance until he could regroup and come up with a fresh plan. Honestly, he shouldn't have been caught up in this situation in the first place. He wasn't the sort who charged recklessly into dangerous situations. That title better fell onto his teammate...

"Hey! Shino!"

"Right on time," Shino replied, not taking his eyes off of Mizori as Naruto landed beside him on the deck of the airship where the battle was taking place.

"I'll hit him high, you hit him low!" Naruto declared, and launched himself forward. Shino was right behind him. As per their strategy, they did indeed go for both of Mizori's ends, hoping one of them would break through his guard and the armor and score a decisive hit. Shino fully intended to knock Mizori off his feet even if he couldn't. Once down, he might be easier to manage. However, they'd made a small miscalculation.

They'd thought it was two-on-one. It wasn't. It was two-on-two.

Mizori ducked under Naruto's swinging kick and launched a vicious left hook that nearly caught Shino off-guard, save that he crossed his arms and locked his stance. It saved him from some broken ribs but the sheer forced knocked him back against the far wall. And that was when Rouga made his move. Seemingly springing right out of the shadows of the hold, he caught both Shino and Naruto completely off-guard as his hand slammed into Naruto's chest in mid-flight.

"We're ready for you this time, you little freak!" he shouted, just as his hand (and something in it) collided with Naruto. He too was knocked off his feet, and his much lighter frame sent him tumbling along the hard ground until he slammed into the wall beside Shino, upside down, head on the ground. However, it did give Shino an excellent view of the device that the Snow ninjas had just attached to his teammate.

At a casual glance it almost resembled a piece of the chakra armor that the snow ninjas were wearing, with the yin-yang symbol. But whereas theirs was white and blue, this one was a dark crimson and cerulean, and it was covered in wicked sharp tubules that had already sunk themselves down into Naruto's black t-shirt and into his skin beneath it. Shino hazarded a guess that was it's exact intent. And he somehow doubted the Snow ninjas wanted to give their Konoha opponents an advantage of some.

Rouga's words confirmed this. "It's a chakra nullifier... evens the playing field a little bit. With that on, you can't even use the most rudimentary chakra techniques. You're helpless." As he spoke, Mizori strode forward, the deck shaking under his heavy footsteps, and he cracked his knuckles.

"He might be, but I am not," replied Shino, having regained his feet. He'd lost one of his kamas, but the other was still firmly in his hand, and he upraised it, the other arm slipping behind his back. Some of his kikai bugs were streaming out unnoticed to the Snow ninja. It was a desperate ploy, but it may yet work.

He hoped.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

Told ya things would be different. Team Eight isn't designed for heavy combat the way Kakashi's Team Seven was (or still is, presumably).


	6. Dark Lair

When Mizori launched himself forward, Shino was ready, and ducked down low and to the side, throwing out his kama and catching the brute's ankle. As he'd anticipated, he was all energy and strength and poor dexterity, with virtually no stance. Thus, he quickly lost his balance and stumbled forward, slamming his helmeted head right into a wall hard enough to dent it. That might not take him out but it would certainly slow him down as Shino got back to his feet.

However, that had been a lucky blow, and he highly doubted he'd get another. A case in point, Rouga's next attack nearly cost him an eye as six shuriken imbedded themselves in the wall behind him. Shino didn't visibly react, except to quirk an eyebrow. But that had been dangerously close. Leaving Naruto to pull himself together (and hoping it wouldn't take too long) he swung out at Rouga, but the Snow ninja countered, using a kunai to skillfully parry Shino's kama, then lashing out with a second kunai which brushed over the top of Shino's afro, nearly giving him a much unwanted haircut.

"Hold still, you brat!"

"I was just about to offer similar advice," remarked a voice behind Rouga. As it spoke, the edge of a kunai pressed against his throat suddenly. Risking a glance back, he spotted a second Aburame. A _Mushi Bunshin_. Shino... the real Shino... breathed a sigh of relief. His kikai hadn't failed him.

"Hey kid!"

Both Shino's heads snapped up, towards the still open door, and towards Mizori. The great brute held a struggling Naruto by his ankle, dangling him out of the doorway, his intent obvious. They were going to drop Naruto out of the airship. And by now, they might've been close to sixteen or seventeen stories up. Even a fully-trained jounin would have trouble surviving that, and Naruto had that chakra nullified stuck to his chest.

Behind his ever-present sunglasses, Shino glanced between Rouga, the unconscious Koyuki, and the dangling Naruto. His enemy. His mission. His teammate. No, he corrected himself, his friend.

"Catch!" said Mizori, and his hand opened.

Shino sprang forward in short order. As he did, Rouga lashed out with an elbow and scattered the _Mizu Bunshin _behind him. As he ran, Shino scooped up his second lost kama and all but dived out of the airship after his teammate, relieved that Mizori hadn't gotten in his way. Of course, he morbidly realized, Mizori was counting on him getting splattered when he hit the ground as well. And unfortunately, he realized that Mizori might've been right. Unlike the pink-haired Fubuki, he didn't have a set of wings. And he wasn't aware of many jutsu that simulated flight for that matter either.

Now was not the finest time to have to come up with a new plan. But he'd have to if he hoped to survive.

There! Some trees, big and pine-filled and he imaged what he was about to do was going to hurt to all hell but if it saved Naruto's life and his own, so be it. Shino reached out an arm and grabbed hold of Naruto's jacket, thrusting out his other arm. Responding to his thoughts, the kikai swarmed out in short order, making a long, dark rope out of their bodies, clinging together as tightly as they could. They normally didn't hold this much weight, not both of them and already falling at this kind of speed, but he hoped they would be able to make an exception this time, and threw out his black kikai rope like a lasso to snare one of the nearby trees.

It was enough to divert their flight. Barely.

Shino's bugs managed to bring them about in a wide arc towards the forest, instead of down onto the open slopes where Kurenai and Hinata had been standing. With the ground meeting them much higher up, supposedly, it would make their landing that much less painful. However, it was going to be a very near thing. However, Shino wasn't alone in his foolish ideas, and Naruto had come up with more than a few of his own during his fall. He reached out and grabbed a hold of Shino's cloak (since he hadn't been wearing one) and hoped Shino would hold on tight as he threw it up over them, grabbing the four corners as it immediately caught the wind as a crude sort of parachute.

"This is new," remarked Shino calmly, even as he frantically grabbed tighter hold of Naruto's jacket so he wasn't thrown off. Crude was definitely the key word to describe Naruto's technique. Still, if it worked...

... but it didn't seem it would. They were -still- coming in too fast. Shino thrust out his legs towards a nearby tree and charged them with chakra, clinging to the side of it even as they were dragged downwards by their combined weights. Hopefully this would slow them down further. And it worked... right up until then end, when they snagged Shino's cloak on a tree branch and Naruto lost his grip, and then they went tumbling down the last ten feet or so to land in a heap at the base of the tree. Bruised, battered, depleted of chakra, but with no broken bones and still very much alive.

It seemed like about ten or fifteen minutes later when Kurenai and Hinata came racing up the hillside towards them, concern and worry evident in their expressions.

"Shino?! Naruto?! Are you alright! Speak to me!"

"Naruto-kun!"

"What the hell is that?"

Shino was thankfully just bruised all over, but he'd live. Naruto, however, had a nasty cut on his head where he'd struck a tree branch, and it was likely only his forehead protector that saved him from an even more terrible injury. The blood was flowing down his face, even as he stood, obscuring his view in one eye. But he managed to give a thumb's up to his frantic teacher and teammate, assuring them that yes, he was okay.

"I'll live... ow... but I think I'll be sore for a week," he remarked, rubbing his back where he'd struck the ground.

"That was incredibly reckless... be lucky you have a week!" snapped Kurenai, fury and concern equally evident in both her tone and voice.

"Kurenai-sensei...!" Hinata's voice stopped her before she come finish berating her students. Turning back to her, Kurenai saw her _Byakugan_ was activated, and she was intently focused. She'd spotted something. "It's the Snow shinobi. They're on the move. Converging on this location quickly," she reported, allowing her bloodline technique to fade and her eyes to return to normal.

"Good, I could use some payback!" Naruto growled, and started to make his way down the hillside, but Kurenai caught his shoulder and shook her head. If he went back in there now, half blind and exhausted, his chakra severely hampered, the Snow ninjas would tear him to pieces.

"The mission isn't over," she stated, loudly enough for all of her team to hear, as she tossed down a few smoke bombs to cover their retreat. Instead of staying to fight, they turned to run, Naruto at Kurenai's side, Shino and Hinata ahead of them.

Together, Team Eight vanished into the woodwork of the snowy forest, and by the time the Snow ninjas had caught up, they were long gone. Not that it mattered. They'd lost the Princess. Now she was at the mercy of Datou and his gang of ruffians, suffering who-only-knows what kind of horrible tortures.

--

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--

Later that evening, when the sun had set and the moon risen, and the temperature dropped to just above freezing, Team Eight regrouped together in a forest clearing, brushing snow off of the logs and starting a small fire and downing some soldier pills Naruto kept in one of his jacket pockets. Normally they wouldn't have dare lit anything without the smokeless wood Shino carried in his backpack (now lost and back with the filming crew in the caravan), but they were content they'd be on the move again before anyone would find it and come looking. Not that they suspected they would. After all, the Princess had been captured, and their mission was a failure.

Or so it seemed.

"So what do we do now?" asked Hinata, at a loss of what to do. She held out her palms towards the fire and wrapped her cloak tightly around her narrow shoulders, but it didn't seem to help much. She was still chilled to the bone and sick to the stomach from the horrors she'd witnessed firsthand today. Even during the Chuunin exams and Orochimaru's subsequent Sound invasion she hadn't seen these sorts of atrocities. Or the simple unfairness. During the Sound invasion, Konoha shinobi had fought back, equals. Here, it had been less a battle between worthy foes than a slaughter.

She also couldn't help but wince every time Naruto rubbed at his chest, at the chakra nullifier that was stuck there. They'd taken a cursory look at it when they'd stopped for the night, but Kurenai had never seen anything like it, and there was no telling what sort of damage could ensue if they tried to remove it without knowing what they were doing. It might've caused irrevocable damage to Naruto. The sort even his unpleasant occupant might not have been able to heal. Hinata's _Byakugan_ had confirmed the device was attached not just to his skin but also his chakra system, wired into it, so to speak. It was almost like a ninth "gate" that severely limited chakra traveling throughout the body. And every time she watched him grimace in pain from the device, Hinata felt it herself. She should've been there. Should've been able to help him. But she hadn't been able to.

"We have to rescue the Princess," replied Naruto firmly, having cleaned away the last of the blood that had been obscuring his vision. "That's our job." Evidently the device had sapped his chakra but not his resolve.

"She could be anywhere by now," Shino pointed out, not disrespectful of his idea. In mission debates that Kurenai often posed to her team, it was his job to play devil's advocate and point out flaws in his teammates plans. "Even if we pick up her trail and follow her back to Datou's fortress, wherever it is, they would have many Snow ninjas, jounin and chuunin level likely, guarding the place. We are a small team, and not designed for heavy combat."

"I don't care, we'll find a way... we'll sneak inside," said Naruto, after a moment's thought. "Slip past the guards, free Koyuki, get her back to the village... just like we said we would."

"Naruto's right," added Hinata. "We can't just go home now."

"Our client is dead," Shino pointed out, as usual his expression hidden behind his ever-present sunglasses and high collar. "We receive no payment for this mission, completed or not."

"Look, if you don't..."

He held up his hands in an admission of surrender. "But... I do find the idea of leaving Koyuki to the Snow ninjas every bit as unappealing as you do," he added. "I simply think we need a suitable plan of attack before we do something reckless." Naruto smiled at that, and a similar expression lit up Hinata's face. He never thought any of them would come to miss the bratty Princess, but right now she was the hope of an entire nation, and even if she wasn't, she was still a human being, and didn't deserve whatever Datou and his buddies were cooking up for her.

"There's something else," Kurenai added, after her team had settled onto their course of action. It was the one she herself would've chosen, but she kept that to herself, secretly proud they'd work it out on their own. "There is a reason I said the mission isn't over back there, Naruto. Datou isn't only after the Princess. There's something else he wants. Do any of you remember?"

_... unlike the girl in Konoha, however, this one had a maniacal grin on her face and was wearing the same outfit as her counterpart, as well as similar armor. _

_"I welcome you, Princess Koyuki. Did you bring the crystal...?" _

"The crystal," breathed Hinata. "The pink-haired girl, she said something about a crystal... what did she mean?"

"Why, this of course," replied Kurenai, unzipping the front of her flak jacket and drawing out the hexagonal amethyst, holding it up with dramatic flourish.

"Sensei..." said Shino in awe. "How did you...?"

_... if the face wasn't enough to stir up memories, the crystal shard resting on the windowsill was. Idly, she stretched out a hand, taking it up between two fingers to study. It was only a short piece of amethyst, barely two inches long about a quarter of an inch thick. It looked remarkably like the piece of cerulean gemstone Naruto had received from Tsunade, actually, and was shaped the same way. _

_Kurenai returned the crystal to where it was... or did she...? and slipped out, silent as a shadow... _

Naruto grinned wide as a fox. He should've known his sensei would've pulled one over on Datou and indeed, even Princess Koyuki, it sounded like. "Great, so now we still have what they want, and they might not even realize it yet!"

"They'll figure it out soon," replied Kurenai, shrugging off the crystal's necklace and holding it up in her hand, offering it to Naruto. "Datou is no fool. So I want you to take this. Of all of us, you're the most likely to be able to keep it safe if worse comes to worse. And even if the crystal isn't our official mission, anything we do to hurt our enemies is important as well."

"Understood," he said, slipping it around his neck, letting it dangle alongside the cerulean gemstone that he'd obtained from the Fifth Hokage. Together, they looked even more remarkably similar. Kurenai idly wondered if they'd been carved by the same hand, so very long ago.

"So we have no plan... but we have an objective?" asked Shino. "Rescue the Princess?"

"Exactly," replied Kurenai. "And this mission calls for stealth, cunning, and guile. And that's trademarks of this team."

"I'd better go get changed then," said Naruto, climbing off his log and vanishing behind a nearby tree. He emerged after a few moments, his jacket and pants inside-out, as they'd been designed, the inside lining a neutral gray that now made it easier for him to blend into the background of the snowy forest and (presumably) the dark fortress of Datou, wherever it was. Thankfully, his jacket had been unzipped when Rouga had ambushed him with the chakra nullifier, and it was easily hid underneath. He took a moment to tuck his bright blonde hair underneath a gray cloth and wrapped his forehead protector around it to hold it down. None of them had much in the way of supplies or gear, they were back with the film crew, but they did indeed have plenty of stealth, cunning, and guile. As well as the eyes of a Hyuuga, the tiny allies of an Aburame, and the indomitable spirit of the soon-to-be legendary Uzuamki at their disposal.

Extinguishing the fire, Team Eight stood and set off to make war with the Hidden Snow.

--

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Finding Datou's fortress hadn't proven all that hard as they'd thought it might. After all, it was a great, ugly black structure in the side of a nearby white ice hill, it stood out like an Owani cat-ninja at an Inuzuka gathering. That wasn't the hard part. The hard part would be getting in. As Shino had predicted, the place was swarming with both regular guards and snow ninja. Most of them wouldn't be stronger than genin level, but the sheer numbers would be problematic if Team Eight was cornered. Worse, they'd catch the attention of those like Fubuki and Mizori, or even Rouga, and then they'd be in real trouble.

So their first step was observation. Naruto and Kurenai had to wait patiently while Shino let his kikai bugs slip in unnoticed into the fortress, and Hinata scanned the structure with her _Byakugan_. It was growing late in the evening when Shino held up his finger, one of his kikai resting on it, having just imparted information to him as easily as it had during the first part of the chuunin exams.

"One hundred and five shinobi present in three man teams," he stated. "And it seems not all of them are wearing that special chakra armor we saw earlier."

"It must be in limited supply," mused Kurenai. "Saved for those who pass a certain rank, like the flak jackets."

"So far we only know of three who wear it. I can't seem to find any of them, the kikai instinctively shy away from that armor... so they may be there and I simply cannot find them."

"Let's hope not," muttered Naruto.

"Agreed, and the rest?" asked Kurenai.

"Tagged with females. Any of them come close I will know."

"Good work... Hinata?"

_Byakugan_ de-activated, the pale-eyed girl nodded. "I've found Princess Koyuki, she's in a dungeon three levels down. I think I've managed to figure out a route as well that's avoiding any major installations."

"Perfect... alright," Kurenai crouched down in the snow, drawing in it with a stick she'd located nearby. "Here's our plan of attack..."

--

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Guard duty was one of the oldest occupations on the planet. Ever since people had decided they started to value "things" they'd always been worried they would lose their things. And so, when people got lazier and richer, they hired guards with the express purpose of guarding their things. Valuable gems, family, even the guard's employers themselves. They existed to sit and watch for trouble to whatever they guarded. But as well as being one of the oldest occupations in the world, guard duty could also be one of the most boring in the world, with many long hours, days, weeks, months, even years at a time going by with nothing to do but sit and watch.

This might've explained why the guards to Datou's fortress were on the verge of falling asleep when the team arrived, traveling across the snow. One of the three man team's Datou must've sent out. Though a ruler of the Snow Country, his fortress also functioned as a Hidden Village, and on occasion they made use of their talents abroad to bring in money. The guards barely paid them any mind. Except...

... except one of the guards caught a flash of green amidst the pale blues and whites and grays of the snow shinobi guard. At their insistence, they called a halt to the team, their suspicions aroused. It was an odd bunch, after all. Two men, one woman, none of whom bore any remarkable features beneath their hoods and masks. "What're your names?"

"I'm Touketsu," said the man in the front, with piercing blue eyes. "This is my team. Reporting back from patrol duty."

The guards glanced at one another. They hadn't heard anything about that, though it wasn't completely unusual. "Where's your papers?" Border patrols were always assigned papers sealed with special chakra so that they couldn't be relieved except by a new team of proper replacements, not just anyone with a decent _Henge_ no jutsu.

The three snow shinobi glanced at one another. "Oh, I had those!" piped up the woman in the back. "Come take a look!"

The guards moved in to take a look, not thinking until the last moment that the other three were moving to surround them and get into position. By the time they did think, the shinobi had struck. The first guard went down with barely a grunt, two hard blows in his stomach and one across his jaw to knock him out like a light. The second guard cried out a warning before he too was quickly overwhelmed. Snow shinobi and more guards came pouring out of the open doors towards the four shinobi, who stood their ground grimly.

"Bring it!" shouted the first attacker, his voice now distinctly that of Uzumaki Naruto. A puff engulfed him and his teammates, revealing the forms of Hinata, and Shino, also ready to fight. They raised up their fists and prepared to engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, using good ol' fashioned taijutsu techniques.

Which, if anyone knew Team Eight, would've immediately tipped them off that something was wrong. Not that disbelieving would help either, of course. _Kage Bunshin_ could still hit pretty damn hard.

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As the gates opened to admit the soldiers and guards, high above, clinging to the wall with chakra-charged feet, the -real- Naruto and Hinata made their way inside, crawling along the ceiling and out of sight, for in such dark corridors, and high ceilings, it was remarkable how very little any of the passing guards bothered to ever look up. After a few turns and twists, they managed to drop back down onto the ground and proceed walking. It made it a little easier to find their way without the entire fortress being upside down. To say nothing of less trouble for Naruto. He'd expended most of his chakra just creating the _Kage Bunshin_ at the gate. And with the damn nullifier on, he could barely cling to the walls without receiving a sharp electrical shock.

Hinata paused a moment, _Byakugan_ active, veins throbbing on either side of her head as she took a moment to get her bearings at an intersection. Then, without hesitation, she pointed. "This way," she said. Naruto nodded, following beside her. A kunai was palmed, no sense in taking chances in the wolf's lair, so to speak. Even with Hinata's all-encompassing eyes beside him, he felt nervous. Like there could be danger anywhere.

For all he knew, there was. Hinata was usually very reluctant to volunteer information about the _Byakugan_ or the _Jyuuken_ fighting style (something her family wouldn't have approved of, likely) but they'd run into obstacles on past missions where there were ways to obstruct the view of the _Byakugan_ and hide from it. And then there was that blind spot all Hyuuga had, extending outwards from their back. Naruto had discovered it once by accident when he'd been tossing some vegetables to her on a D-rank mission. His job had been to uproot them and then hand them to her to wash, and they'd made a bit of training out of it, him tossing, her catching. It had worked fine until he'd gotten to the tomato. Incorrectly assuming she could see it coming with her _Byakugan_, he'd hurled the vegetable at her to get washed, accidentally tossing it right into her blind spot.

He'd spent hours apologizing for that afterwards.

"Someone's coming," she said suddenly, and he tensed immediately, snapping out of his reverie. "Down that corridor," she added, pointing it out. Naruto quickly swung out an arm and gently pushed Hinata out of the line of sight with his hand as a pair of Snow ninja came past, pausing just before the intersection where they were hiding. If they got much closer, they'd spot Naruto and Hinata in short order.

Naruto also didn't realize it, but when he'd swung out his arm to push Hinata out of the light, he'd accidentally missed her far shoulder, which was his target. Instead he'd hit a lump of some sort just under her jacket. Hinata, fully aware of Naruto's palm on her, slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle a squeak that was sure to emerge, and felt her entire face turn crimson. She couldn't even think properly as it felt like steam erupted from her ears. _Narutokunistouchingmeohmygod Narutokunistouchingme Narutokunistouchingmeohmygod Narutokunistouchingme_. It was a near wonder Hinata didn't faint right then and there.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the guards moved off. Still holding Hinata, unaware of her embarrassment, Naruto leaned forward to tilt his head and make sure the corridor was clear. "Okay... looks like they're gone... I think we can move on," he said.

Hinata, unable to properly voice herself, reached out and tugged on Naruto's jacket. He turned back, and she just pointed down at where he's grabbed her. And his eyes opened wide in shock and he all but yanked his hand off of her body as if it had been scalding hot, a stream of apologies on the tip of his tongue, about to pour out, but she placed a hand over his mouth before he could voice them aloud (and possibly give them away), shaking her head.

"I am sooo sorry," he said, thankfully in a whisper. "I swear that was an accident. I would... I would never..."

She flinched at that. Was he saying he didn't like touching her? No! She was over-reacting again. But oh god, that slight little touch had made her all faint of breath and dizzy from blood rushing throughout her body.

"I know," she replied gently. "I know Naruto-kun it's okay. It... it was an accident," she said, her cheeks still stained crimson.

"Yeah, right... an accident."

"So...!" she said, softly.

"Oh, right, the mission... Uhm... let's go..." he said, taking off down a corridor.

"Naruto..." she said, half-teasingly.

Naruto spun on his heel without pause and took off down the opposite corridor. He'd been heading the wrong way.

--

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While Naruto and Hinata were headed down to locate Koyuki and get her out, Kurenai and Shino were positioned up above and making their way in on top of the roof. Their goal was to create a distraction. But first they needed to get in. That wasn't made so difficult by the guards on the roof, they'd been keeping watch for signs of invading army, not shinobi. So Shino and Kurenai had snuck up on them as quiet as shadows and overwhelmed them both, Kurenai landing two well-placed blows to the back of their necks to render them unconscious.

"Where to?" asked Shino.

"Down. We don't know how long that distraction at the front gate will last. Remember, we want as much chaos as we can possibly cause to distract them from the main trouble."

Shino nodded as they made their way down the corridor, then idly reached up and grabbed a hanging lantern, swinging it around and tossing it back the way they'd come at an expensive looking rug, setting it ablaze. Kurenai quirked an eyebrow at him, to which he merely shrugged, his expression still unreadable behind his sunglasses and high collar.

"You did say chaos."

"Not quite what I had in mind," she remarked, ruby eyes glancing upwards. "Buut..." she hurled a pair of exploding tag-kunai upwards at a supporting beam, making sure Shino and herself were well out of the way of devastation that followed as the entire ceiling came caving in. By now they could hear the shouting and screaming, could see troops moving as they slipped in and out of rooms and hiding places, continuing to sow chaos from one end of the castle to another. Setting fires and exploding rooms and releasing genjutsu so some of the Snow genin smashed into walls thinking they were running down a corridor, or found themselves being crushed to death by gigantic roots and vines that had sprung up out of nowhere. On occasion, they even left exploding tags with delayed timers so they would force their pursuers to backtrack, thinking them going a different direction.

"I have been spending too much time around Naruto," remarked Shino, as they broke into what must've been Datou's private distillery. And as any good shinobi can tell you, if there's one thing that burns better than wood, it's alcohol. So Shino had made himself some moltov cocktails. "His pranking habits are rubbing off on me," he added deadpan, not even looking as he dropped one of his flaming beverages out of a nearby window and letting it shatter near a platoon of guards running through the courtyard.

Kurenai wisely decided not to comment on such. She too felt she'd been spending too much time around the Uzumaki prankster. She was actually starting to enjoy herself. But they couldn't keep this up forever. Sooner or later they were going to get themselves cornered, or run into trouble. Shino's kikai allies had helped so far in enabling them to avoid Snow patrols, but they wouldn't help much against Rouga and his buddies in the chakra armor.

"Come on, Naruto," she murmured, as she laid some more exploding tags on a wall, then quickly formed some seals with her hands. "_Kokohi no Jutsu_," she murmured. As she watched, the tags faded, shimmered, and vanished, replaced by smooth stone walls just like before she'd set them. Completely invisible unless someone was looking for them. This set would go off once she triggered them remotely.

"Hurry up," she urged her students from afar.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

Fans of my previous work might recognize the name Touketsu (which means Frozen) that Naruto tries as a fake Snow name. In the 'Hyuuga's Edge' storyline he was a "real" former Snow missing-nin, and a sibling of Fubuki.


	7. Wolves of Winter

Naruto stiffened suddenly, clutching at his side, and Hinata was there in an instant, concerned he'd been attacked. He glanced up, shaking his head. "I'm okay," he said, then frowned thoughtfully for a moment. "It's the team at the bridge, my _Kage Bunshin_. They were taken out. They couldn't hold on any longer."

"Then we don't have much time," she replied. "This way."

They were on the last level above the dungeon, and slipping down proved no problem, the place was protected by only a few guards, easily dispatched by two well-placed _Jyuuken_ strikes which sent them crumpling like wet paper. Apparently no sense in extra guards for watching prisoners safely barred up, especially one useless actress like Koyuki, when there was an invasion going on. Unfortunately, it meant that the keys to the cell were nowhere in place. Hinata's _Byakugan_ couldn't find them anywhere, which meant a guard had taken them and wasn't present. To look for them in the entire fortress would take time. Too much time.

They found Koyuki in one of the cells, looking as morose as usual but thankfully unharmed. "Princess Koyuki!" Naruto whispered loudly. "We're here to rescue you."

She glanced up at him with dull eyes, not even surprised by his being there it seemed. "Go away," she muttered.

Naruto bit back a sharp retort, reasoning with the spoiled brat seemed useless, so he'd focus on getting her out, and instead grabbed at the bars, hoping they'd be weak enough for him to break with sheer strength alone. No such luck. And he was rewarded for his initiative by a bolt of lightning traveling down the bars and into his hands, sending him reeling backwards, clutching at his stinging fingers.

"The bars are warded with a lightning jutsu," said Hinata, white eyes now focused on Koyuki's cell. "It's designed to give a shock to anyone who touches them. There," she added, pointing out the seal on the door's keyhole. "We can't remove it unless we were the one who put it there. It's chakra-attuned."

"Then we'll do this the old fashioned way!" replied Naruto, grabbing up some lock-picking rods from the pack at his side. However, this was met with failure. Anytime the metal slipped, touching the keyhole, it sent another jolt down his body. He recovered quickly, but it still hurt like hell.

"Just give up kid, you can't succeed," muttered Koyuki, leaning back and gazing up at the ceiling. "Just leave me here to rot."

"Don't tempt me," he spat, and continued to try and pick the lock, rewarded again and again by failure.

"You just don't get it, it's hopeless, so just..."

"SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Two sets of blue eyes blinked in shock, and turned as one to look at Hinata, who looked furious, her white-eyed gaze burning. "Naruto is risking everything to save your sorry butt and all you do there is sit and complain and whine! Now just shut up! We're not giving up! We are going to get you out of here, no matter what! That's our way of the ninja!"

Naruto was thrown off by the normal quiet and meek Hinata suddenly so loud and violent as himself. The only time he'd seen her this dead set on something was the time she'd yelled at him for thinking himself a monster. Back when he'd told her about the creature living inside him. Back when she'd accepted him for who he was. All of who he was.

Uzumaki Naruto remembered. Wise old Saturobi. Booksmart Iruka-sensei. Pint-sized Konohomaru. Motherly Kurenai. Stoic Shino. Graceful Hinata. Hardworking Gai and Lee. Even friendly Teuchi and Ayame, who ran Ichiraku. These were his friends. These were the family who believed in him.

He wouldn't let them down.

Throwing aside the lock-picking devices, which were ruined by the repeating lightning jutsus, Naruto grabbed the bars of the cell again and heaved. White lightning surged along the bars, and the pain was immeasurable this time. But he grimly held on, pulling hard, using all of the strength in his diminutive form. Dimly, he could sense crimson chakra filling his coils, replacing the blue. The nullifiers gemstone shivered against his chest, and a thin crack developed. Evidently, the power of the Kyuubi was too much for it. His injuries were healing almost as rapidly as they were occurring, and he could feel a feral hunger fill his body. But unlike the previous times, he had control. He'd learned to harness it as another source of power, not let the power overwhelm him. Biting back a roar that might've drawn the guards, settling for a low growl instead through clenched fangs, Naruto heaved, tearing the metal bars clear out of their frame and hurling them aside. The paper seal vanished, consumed by a feedback in the lightning jutsu, and Naruto staggered backwards, collapsing onto his knees, panting heavily for breath as he felt the red chakra subside and vanish.

The lightning had still hurt like hell, however, and he could barely feel anything for a while, not even when Hinata laid a hand gently on his shoulder to try and see if he was alright. But dimly, his senses came back into sharp focus (though the unfortunate stench of smoke wafting off his uniform he could've done without) and he glanced up, placing a hand over hers to let her know he was alright before standing.

Princess Koyuki, looking nothing short of amazed, stepped between the narrow gap in the bars, her eyes wide in disbelief... and then lowered shamefully.

They had been right. And she had been wrong.

It was as simple as that.

"I..." she started, but Hinata cut off of.

"It's okay. Let's get out of here first, the guards might be coming soon."

"Right," added Naruto, standing on shaky feet. Calling on Kyuubi had drained him a little, but he'd be good to go shortly. Meanwhile, it fell to the Hyuuga Heiress to protect them. She led the way, _Byakugan_ activated, the Princess and Naruto following closely behind her. The rest of their plan was simple enough. Find Kurenai and Shino and get the hell out of the place before it was too late.

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Both teams re-converged at a pre-designated point in the middle of the fortress, a short distance from the dungeons (assuming correctly that Koyuki wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace that most ninja set). Kurenai and Shino arrived first, but they slipped out of sight along the wall when a single guard came around the way. As the guard glanced left and right, they came dangerously close to spotting their hidden perch up atop of the nearby wall. However, instead of giving out another warning for the entire castle, the guard simply raised their hand and signaled.

Kurenai nodded, and she and Shino dropped down onto the landing beside the guard, not surprised in the least when a puff of smoke engulfed them, replaced by the diminutive form of the Hyuuga Heiress. Naruto and Koyuki came around the corner moments later. "Everyone alright?" Kurenai immediately asked.

"Little shook up, otherwise fine," replied Naruto, who still felt a bit dizzy from his repeated shockings. An ordinary shinobi would've been knocked unconscious or killed by such a stupid stunt as he'd just pulled. And he shrugged it off like he was having a bad morning.

"Kurenai-san... you took my necklace, didn't you?" accused Koyuki. "Datou was quite upset when he found out you'd switched it with a fake."

"I figured they were after it as much as you," replied Kurenai, nodding. "They must've kept you alive to try and figure out where you'd hid it. The fact that I switched it probably saved your life."

"Or nearly got me killed," spat Koyuki, thrusting out her hand. "I want it back, now."

Kurenai sighed heavily, their client's brief stay in a dungeon had done nothing to improve her personality. Still, she was their protectorate, and Konoha shinobi weren't thieves. She nodded to Naruto, who unzipped his jacket and removed the necklace, offering it back to Koyuki, who cradled it close the first chance she got it back into her hot little hands. Though it seemed even she paused to stare in wonder at Naruto's own necklace.

"That's... just like mine..."

Shino's head snapped up. "Trouble. Small platoon of guards heading this way."

Koyuki slipped the necklace into her pocket, no time to put it on properly. "This way!" she said, leading the way. Team Eight took off after her, and Kurenai held up a hand, activating the seals of some exploding tags she'd secured elsewhere in the building. That would buy them a bit of time, hopefully. They zig-zagged down a few corridors, some of which Kurenai and Shino's handiwork was readily apparent, but overall they met no more guards, and found themselves in a big, open chamber. The symbol of the Snow countries damiyo was on the ground, but apart from that, it seemed difficult to make out anything in the darkness.

And then there was light.

A lamp came on overhead. At the far end of the room there was a large raised dais, and on that, a throne of iron. And seated in that throne, a dark, ominous figure shrouded in a long white cloak. Kazahana Datou, murderer and tyrant and gods-only-knew what else. Team Eight tensed as he stood, chuckling deeply.

"Well done... Koyuki," he said.

The Princess was off like a shot soon as her true colors were revealed, which was fortunate because Kurenai was right behind her, to stop her before she could betray them. However, before she could take more than three steps, forms blurred and materialized out of thin air, and suddenly three imposing figures stood before her. Wolfish Rouga, creepy Fubuki, lumbering Mizori. They formed a barrier between the Princess and Kurenai, and she skidded to a halt, ruby eyes flashing. They'd have to fight soon. Behind her, she could sense her team readying themselves. She could hear the buzz of Shino's bugs, the scrape of metal as Naruto palmed some kunai, and could well imagine Hinata sliding arms and legs back into a distinct _Jyuuken_ stance.

But the fight didn't come just yet. Both sides just waited for the little drama on the dais to play itself out first.

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--

Into Datou's outstretched hand, Koyuki gently placed the amethyst crystal, the key to his ambitions, and the downfall of the Snow Country. Just like that, she'd betrayed them all, betrayed everyone, to a madman's schemes. And they'd trusted her. And pitied her, a little. They'd certainly never thought her capable of something like this.

"Everyone seems to have forgotten... I am an actress," Koyuki stated to the stunned (and in some cases, enraged) members of Team Eight.

"It is true... Koyuki acted the entire scene," added Datou, deep voice booming off the walls.

Furious blue eyes met Koyuki's silently accusing her. And then ruby, white, and unseen black added to them. And unlike before, the spoiled Princess had not the strength in her convictions to meet them. Not after all she'd and witnessed from a small band of Konoha shinobi. She'd treated them horribly, and they had risked everything to save her miserable life.

"Yes," she said, her own gaze lowering. "It was all..." her hand dropped down to under her coat, where she'd hidden the small knife Sandayuu had kept safe for her. "... an act..." Without warning, she drew the blade and lunged forward at her uncle, thrusting the knife hard into his chest with a wild, ragged cry. "That's why I said... I... am... an actress!" she spat, twisting the blade in deeper.

But to her shock and horror, Datou wouldn't fall. She'd hit some sort of resistance underneath his robes. He thrust out a hand, strong fingers closing around her windpipe, trying to suffocate her or snap her neck. She gave a strangled cry of pain.

"I always expected to die in the Snow Country," she hissed out in a strangled voice. "That's why, at the very least..." she pushed back against Datou, driving the blade forward, pushing with all of the strength left in her body. "Naruto... Hinata... it was thanks to you..."

"Princess!"

With a murmured prayer that they couldn't quite make out, Koyuki pitched herself forward, knocking herself and Datou off of the dais to come crashing down on the floor below. Fortunately, Koyuki's fall had been broken by Datou's heavier form, but she still looked hurt. Naruto went charging forward, and to his relief none of the Snow ninja stood in his way. However, to his shock, when he arrived, a huge fist came barreling out of nowhere to slam into his face, sending him flying through the air. He skidded along the ground before righting himself, rubbing at his sore jaw as he beheld a new enemy.

Datou stood, fist still upraised from where he'd sucker-punched Naruto. He brushed aside the knife still imbedded in his heart like it was nothing, then shrugged off his ceremonial robes. Beneath, it was readily apparent why the tiny weapon hadn't hurt him. He was wearing a full compliment of black armor, like a beetle, and it didn't take a genius to make a connection. Datou wasn't leader of the Snow ninjas without reason.

He was one of them.

"This is the newest, most advanced model of the chakra armor," stated Datou, letting them all have a very good look as he grabbed up the unconscious Koyuki. "Well then, I think it's time I took Koyuki to the place beyond the rainbow... but don't worry. I'll leave you all in the capable hands of my Snow ninja."

Rouga grinned wolfishly at that, and similar smirks lit up the faces of Mizori and Fubuki as the former cracked his knuckles and the latter began twirling some kunai on her fingertips. Team Eight tensed as Datou gestured, but it wasn't the signal for attack. The entire room shuddered, and the walls started to cave in. This wasn't Kurenai and Shino's doing, this had been a trap rigged for them all along. Apparently, Datou was willing to forsake his fortress for whatever his new treasure was he'd found in Koyuki's necklace. And he would managed to neatly eliminate Team Eight in the process. The Snow ninja activated grapple-lines that hauled them out of danger in short order, and Team Eight bid a hasty retreat, yet again forced to abandon the Princess for a temporary time.

Their mission still wasn't over, however.

--

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Team Eight managed to escape the doomed structure, leaping clear of one of it's collapsing towers to touch down in the snow in an awkward jumble. As they watched, they could clearly see Datou making his escape high up in the sky, way beyond their reach. Apparently, his armor model used the same sorts of wings as Fubuki's. There was no way they'd be able to catch up with him anytime soon. Nor track him, come to that. Shino's kikai couldn't locate Datou because of the chakra armor. Which was how he'd managed to surprise them inside his own fortress.

Still, ultimately that didn't matter right now.

They had bigger problems to contend with.

Like Fubuki, cackling overhead, who was tossing down more of her patented exploding ice kunai to and fro amidst them. Naruto, caught flat-footed, was knocked out of the way of such a falling kunai by Shino, and the two quickly gained their feet as they and their kunoichi companions began to run, needing to get some space before they were killed.

"Stay together!" shouted Kurenai, though the next blast sent her flying in a different direction from her team as they ran. Before they could regroup they were set up on again, and forced to go separate ways just to keep going. The Snow ninja were relentless. A flurry of ice-exploding kunai came down after the rest of Team Eight as they ran along, having lost Kurenai somewhere along the way in their mad scramble. They were confident their jounin-sensei could watch after herself, however. Right now they had enough to worry about just watching after themselves.

"Down!" shouted Shino, and Hinata rolled, narrowly being missed by Fubuki as she'd swooped down like a bat overhead. She'd managed to just clip Hinata's shoulder as the Hyuuga girl had rolled and slid back to her feet easily. Shino and Naruto joined her as the pink-haired girl went flying around for another pass, giving them a few minutes of breathing space. Not much though. Mizori was coming barreling down the hillside as well on his snowboard like a cannonball. They didn't have much time to form a strategy.

Naruto quickly slapped his hands against his opposite wrists and his ankles, releasing the chakra from his weights again. No way he could hold back now, not with his team in danger. "Hinata, can you keep the big guy busy?"

She blinked in surprise, but nodded, performing a similar gesture to relieve her own weights, sliding easily into a _Jyuuken_ stance to await her enemy. Naruto turned to Shino, snapping his hands together into a familiar seal, even as the chakra nullifier sparked. This was going to hurt, he knew, but it would be well worth it.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

--

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"Whatever you do will be useless!" shouted Mizori, barreling down the snow towards them. He'd lost sight of the blonde-haired boy, but he spotted the dark-haired girl easily, and he'd take her out first as he adjusted his course and came speeding towards her like a battering ram. To his surprise, she didn't even blink her white eyes. All terror had fled her. Hyuuga Hinata, Heiress of the _Byakugan_, was being counted on by her teammates, by the boy she cared for most in this world. And she would not disappoint.

Time seemed to slow, crawling by more and more slowly, each second stretched out into minutes, then hours. And then time seemed to come to a complete halt as Mizori came within less than a yard of Hinata. And still she hadn't moved. She could see. She could perceive with crystal clarity now exactly what needed to be done. In a world seen only by the _Byakugan_, a glowing green ying-yang symbol had materialized on the ground between her and Mizori, lined by a number of powerful kanji.

"_Hakke Rokujuuyonshou_!" she cried, and time resumed.

To described Hinata's attack as devastating would've been a dreadful understatement. Her hands moved in a blur, two fingers on each palm striking Mizori's shoulder and hip, the sheer power behind them stopping him in the middle of his charge, knocking him off his board (which went flying off into the distance past them). Then four more strikes followed. Then eight. Then sixteen. Thirty-two. Sixty-four. Chakra armor enhanced the flow of normal chakra in the wearer, but it still flowed in the exact same pattern as a normal shinobi. It still had tenketsu points to some extent, located along weak points in the armor, which shattered under the two finger strike of a thirteen-year-old girl. Mizori gave a strangled groan, spitting up blood, barely able to react before the entire attack had taken place, and he stumbled backwards...

--

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Shino, meanwhile, was pursuing Fubuki, trying to simultaneously avoid her thrown kunai and gain ground by leaping from tree branch to tree branch, one of his mantis blades palmed, the other still hidden. He wanted a free hand in case he needed to keep his balance. A number of shuriken had been palmed into his hand, and he awaited the opportunity to make good use of them. Another of Fubuki's ice-exploding kunai went whizzing past, but he executed a flawless roll in mid-air before landing on a nearby tree branch, though he had to lash out with his serrated kama to retain his balance, the sharp blade digging into the tree and acting as a handhold.

"Give it up kid! You can't beat me!"

Shino didn't dignify that with a reply, and instead swung underneath and around one tree, using chakra in his free palm to guide himself and swing upwards, giving an awkward push with his feet for the last distance. He tilted his head up, eyes peering up through his sunglasses. As a dark shadow flew overhead, he nodded. She was in position. He drew back his hand and hurled the half-dozen shuriken up into the air.

Koyuki dodged aside with pitiful ease, laughing to herself. The boy really didn't know when to give up, and he couldn't even throw worth a damn, those shuriken had been half a mile off. Ah well... she'd finish the job Rouga couldn't properly. And enjoy it about twice as much, in all likelihood.

She reared back her hand...

Suddenly half a dozen puffs occurred -above- her, and she twisted in shock, tilting her head upwards at an awkward angle to see...

... half a dozen Naruto's coming flying down -towards- her...! How?!?!

_Kage Bunshin_ -and- _Henge no Jutsu_, she realized, a split-second too late. The original had turned the others into shuriken and given them to the bug boy. And he had hurled them up past Fubuki, and now they were coming back down, atop of her, where she was most vulnerable.

"_U-zu-ma-ki_...!"

Three precisely aimed kicks hit her full in her unprotected back, and the fourth tore clear through one of her wings, sending Fubuki into a downward spiral, dropping her kunai in the process and letting them rain harmlessly down somewhere off in the distance. She flew past Shino, who only watched, and could only watched in dizzied horror as the last Naruto, the one waiting on the ground, leapt up at the last minute to meet her with a fist to the face, launching a vicious uppercut to end their bout.

"_Naruto Rendan_!"

Fubuki was hit so hard her jaw shattered and she went end-over-end through the air. Unfortunately, fate wasn't going to be kind to her today, and it had only just gotten started. She was flying through the air to slam directly into her partner Mizori. What happened next neither of them couldn't anticipated. They hit hard, suspended in the air as their chakra armor simultaneously began to repel and magnify one another's chakra to breaking points, building up and up until an explosion rocked the hillside and they were sent hurtling away from one another. Mizori crashed into a tree hard enough to leave a dent with his body, woodchips flying everywhere, and Fubuki came crashing into the ground, her entire body battered and broken, wrapped in the shattered remains of his glider, limbs twisted at unnatural angles. She was alive, but at the moment, that wasn't a comfort in the slightest.

Naruto massaged his bruised knuckles. His reversed-combo attack had been a bit of a gamble but it had paid off, but he doubted he'd be able to use it in that fashion against normal opponents on the ground. Still, he'd won. He smirked, the pain already fading, and jogged over to join Hinata and Shino, who leapt down from the branches to join them.

"What happened?" asked Hinata, marveling as the glowing chakra armor was already starting to fade.

"Feedback loop," surmised Shino, snapping his kama's blade back into the handle and letting it fall into his sleeve. "Their armor is designed to build up their own chakra and repel an enemies... but if they were knocked together, the armor must've cancelled each other out. Violently, it would appear," he added, adjusting his sunglasses.

The entire area was devastated by the fighting, trees knocked clear out of their root, snow torn up and thrown about, icy stalagmites sticking out of the ground from Fubuki's attack. The peaceful scenery of the Snow Country had been badly torn apart by three young ninja and their opponents.

"Have I mentioned lately you have a knack for understatement?" remarked Naruto.

"Not recently, no," Shino replied deadpan.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

I'm fully aware that the regular Hinata cannot do the Sixty-Four Divine Strikes, but she's done it before under duress in S'tarkan's story, so she's fully capable of doing it again.


	8. Seven Color Chakra

Elsewhere, Kurenai was having troubles of her own. She'd managed to regain her ground and some time on a hillside near Datou's fortress, but the way things were now, she was also cut off from her team and up against a fearsome adversary in the form of Nadare Rouga. The pale-haired, wolfish Snow ninja, on the other hand, didn't look the slightest bit concerned as he faced her.

"Going to run away again?" he mockingly asked. "Seems to be all you silly kunoichi know how to do."

Kurenai blinked her ruby eyes, then narrow them dangerously.

When she'd first formed Team Eight, she'd told them what she expected of her students. That when it came down to it, proving who was stronger, winning all fights, was a childish schoolyard game. Getting information where it needed to go was the job of a reconnaissance unit. If that meant running away, they ran and never looked back. That didn't make them cowards. But staying behind to fight and die made them traitors. And Yuuhi Kurenai never gave any advice she didn't take seriously herself.

However, even Yuuhi Kurenai had her pride, and if there was one thing that really grated on her nerves to no end, it was being taken lightly because she was a woman.

If Rouga wanted to dance, then fine, they'd dance. With a glare worthy of Morino Ibiki on a really bad day, she brought up her hands and slapped them together hard. Kurenai quickly formed the seals for her opening jutsu. Nadare Rouga quickly did the same, hands forming seals with speed equal to her own.

"_Hyouton, Rouga Nadare no Jutsu_!"

"_Jubaku Satsu_!"

An avalanche started, fueled by Rouga's chakra, and snow came washing down the hillside towards Kurenai, assuming the shapes of a huge pack of gigantic wolves on it's way down. Icy teeth as long as her arm and sharp as any kunai were snapping as they charged towards her. Kurenai, however, was amply prepared, and as Rouga watched her image blurred and shimmered like a mirage in the desert. When he blinked, it seemed as if Kurenai had vanished.

"Oh, running -and- hiding?!" he called out as his pack went crashing down into the ground, shattering like the snow they were made off all over the hillside, the jutsu displaced. "Is that all you can do?!"

"Not quite," came a voice in his ear.

Rouga whirled around, swinging out a leg instinctively to kick, but Kurenai's form blurred indistinctly around the leg as it swept clean through her, and she blurred and vanished from the attack. A _Bunshin_. Not even a _Kage Bunsh_in like the blonde brats, a mediocre regular sort. All flash and no substance. She was making a fool him! Concentrating his chakra and sending out a small pulse to clear his senses, Rouga turned about and spotted Kurenai, the real Kurenai, heading down the hillside and towards the forest. Running away again. Growling darkly, determined not to let her get away, he gave pursuit, leaping down the steep hillside and chasing after her.

Which was, of course, exactly what she wanted him to do.

There was no way she could meet Rouga in a head-on clash. She doubted Asuma and Kakashi would have much luck in such an endeavor either. But she was a genjutsu specialist for a reason, and it wasn't entirely because of flashy techniques. It was because she knew the human mind inside and out, knew how to confused and distract, and knew a fair number of tricks, hidden in more places than simply up her sleeve. She may not have been the infamous Copy Ninja, but she knew quite a thing or two.

And now it was time to put those tricks into action.

Landing down by a small, unfrozen river, Kurenai formed a number of seals for a new jutsu, and raised up her hands as she finished. "_Kokuangyou no jutsu_!" she cried out, and the sky above darkened under a blanket of shadow. It covered the area. Rouga wouldn't be able to see more than three feet in front of his face, but she would have complete crystal clarity as the jutsus original creator.

Judging by the cursing coming from further up the hillside, she guessed he'd found that out himself, and likely just walked into a tree or tripped over a rock. "Damn you woman! Come out and fight like a man!"

Idly disgusted he would use such terrible logic, Kurenai set into phase the next part of her plan, utilizing a water jutsu she'd taught to her team a while back. She would've set it into motion up high on the hill if she'd had the sort of raw chakra reserves Naruto had, but as it is, she'd need to be closer to the source to pull it off here.

"You can't hide forever! _Hyouton, Rouga Nadare no Jutsu_!"

Another gigantic wolf conjured out of the snow appeared, giving a roar that sent shockwaves throughout the landscape. Kurenai frowned, not entirely sure what Rouga had planned. So she decided to ask.

"What are you doing?! You can't see!" she called out, stating the blatantly obvious in an oh-so-innocent tone. She might've hated being underestimated, but there were times, she mused, when it came in handy. Rouga laughed in the darkness, now able to find her thanks to where her voice had come from.

"You foolish, silly little girl! My wolves can track by scent alone! And this one is now ordered to seek you out wherever you go!" he yelled, and with that, the wolf charged forward, snowy feet pounding on the ground as it gave another roar. Kurenai leapt gracefully out of the way, even as the snowy monster came around for another pass. Her hands quickly formed seals just as the wolf snapped his icy teeth around her torso. However, instead of a shower of blood, Kurenai exploded into a shower of pink sakura blossoms, vanishing out of the wolf's range. Her evasion wouldn't work for long, however. Rouga gave another chuckle. Though he could not see, Rouga presumed that the wolf was pursuing Kurenai, no matter where she ran or where she'd tried to hide. It would always track her scent. Stumbling backwards out of the darkness shroud, he found himself just barely out of step of the flowing river. No doubt Kurenai had hoped to use it against him somehow, but that wouldn't be possible now.

"Now die, fool!"

A flurry of pink sakura petals flowed out of the darkness and swirled around behind Rouga, materializing on the far side of the river in the form of a familiar gray-haired, red-eyed woman. "You first, you bastard."

A roar behind him, and Rouga whirled back towards the darkness, realizing his predicament. The wolf was after Kurenai, and ordered not to stop regardless of what was in it's way. And where she was standing now, the only thing in it's way was...

"NO!"

"_Suiton: Gyoushuu_!" she practically screamed, thrusting her hands forward. Water leapt up from the unfrozen river and shot forward, following her guiding hands, and slamming into Rouga's back just as his own jutsu crash into him from the front. The snow wolf emerging from the darkness to slam into Rouga like a battering ram. It shattered, dispersing against the chakra armor, but it had enough power and force behind it to take effect, and it was still cold as a snowstorm.

And as any shinobi could tell you, water at extremely cold temperatures produced one thing: ice.

Rouga's final scream was flash frozen inside of his throat as the water Kurenai's jutsu had splashed over him hardened and crystallized in seconds, forming a frozen layer of ice inches thick all over him. It was unlikely he could've survived that, but Kurenai made sure that this one enemy from her past would never haunt her again. Reaching behind her back into the pack resting there, she grabbed up and launched a flurry of shuriken at the frozen form of Rouga the cracked deeply into his frozen form, then hurled herself forward with a vicious kick that shattered him like glass, sending pieces of his broken body crashing to the ground.

Landing nimbly before the wreckage, her darkness jutsu already fading away, Kurenai did not pause. She hadn't enjoyed that, but it was necessary in her line of work to kill or be killed, and she would never hesitate when it was necessary. She even admitted privately to herself she was glad she could finally close this chapter of her past and walk away from the frozen fragments without a backward glance.

Or rather, she would have, but instead she stumbled without a backward glance instead. So many jutsu in such short time had drained her of her chakra reserves, and she was very tired. She managed to maintain her stance and not fall over, but it was a near thing. Grimly, she focused, putting one foot in front of the other. Slowly, steadily, she began to make her way back up the hillside. She might not make it in time, but she was determined to be there for her team when they needed her.

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The rest of Team Eight, meanwhile, had regrouped, unable to find Kurenai nearby. She was beyond the range of Hinata's _Byakugan_ (admittedly, a short range than anything her cousin Neji could call on) and Shino's bugs were unable to track the scent through the snow. But the three of them felt confident their jounin-sensei would be alright, she always was. So they instead decided to not waste time with a search and focused instead on their mission. Princess Koyuki. So they'd bandaged what scrapes and cuts they had, Hinata applying an healing salve she always kept with her for emergencies. Naruto took the opportunity to change his jacket and trousers back to their regular green color as Shino suggested they patch up and move on. Stealth was no longer a priority.

"We can't track her any more easily than we can Kurenai-sensei," Naruto pointed out. "How are we going to find them?"

Shino frowned at this, equally stumped. If they fanned out like before it would take them ages to find Koyuki and Datou, and by then it would be far, far too late for them to do anything about it. He had the crystal, and he'd sacrificed his own fortress and hundreds of his mine. Logically, he was going after something bigger. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.

Hinata piped up, "Didn't Dotou say something about uhm... 'I'm taking Koyuki to the place beyond the rainbow...'? What did he mean by that?"

"He was probably speaking figuratively," Shino replied.

"No... no he wasn't," said Naruto, in a flash of insight. He got it now. He remembered.

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_"... we're going to make use of some of the natural landscape as part of it," explained the assistant director, who tapped one of the pictures on a nearby wall. The one he indicated was a breath-taking view of some cliffs that seemed arranged like a series of standing stones. _

_"They're called the Rainbow Glaciers. Sandayuu was the one who suggested we use them for the final scene in the movie. It's said during the spring the glaciers light up with the seven colors of the rainbow..." _

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"The Rainbow Glaciers," said Naruto. "That must be where they're going. Shino, don't you have a map?"

Apparently the Aburame did, and he rolled it out quickly. Although Datou's fortress didn't appear on it (not surprising, given it was practically a Hidden Village) they did identify enough landmarks to know that the Rainbow Glaciers weren't far from here. Just a little ways to the north. About a mile or two away. It would take them some quiet time to get there, however.

But they started off anyway, and pray that they would be in time.

As it was, fate had decided to be kind to Team Eight today.

On their way, they'd encountered the film crew whom they'd left behind after Datou's massacre. Apparently, the Director had taken it into his head to follow them into the forest, where they'd lost sight of them. And they'd been scouring the place ever since to get his actors back within the camera's field. So they had a sled or two ready and were still filming when Shino, Hinata, and Naruto came across him.

The elderly Director smiled, and gestured for them to join him. "Hop on," he said, seeing they were traveling. "Our film still needs a happy ending, after all," he said. Smiles lit up Hinata and Naruto's face, and even stoic Shino seemed pleased, as the three of them climbed aboard and gave directions to head northward. With the added speed of the motor-run sled, they'd reach it in under ten minutes. Not too far behind Dotou and Koyuki.

Hopefully in time to stop whatever mad scheme he'd concocted.

--

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In the land of the Snow Country, there were a number of great and beautiful sights that stole the breath away as easily as did the frigid air. Near the northern end of the continent one such place existed, the Rainbow Glaciers. Seven towering pillars each as tall as the Hokage monument, made of solid ice frozen forever in the perfect shape, they were enough to inspire awe with their quiet, simple majesty alone. But all sorts of superstition and myth surrounded them as well.

One story said that when spring came to the Snow Country, the light from the rising sun would shine off of the glaciers in the seven colors of the rainbow, and the whole region would be lit up and breathtakingly beautiful. Some legends suggested there was a great treasure hidden underneath the ice, a fortune of silver and precious stones waiting for someone to dig through the permafrost and claim it as their own. And some say there was lost technology hidden amidst the standing pillars. A terrible weapon awaiting activation, that would devastate anything that stood in it's path, and bring destruction and chaos unseen since the Great Shinobi War if it fell into the wrong hands.

Like the hands of Kazahana Datou.

Evidently, if he believed any of the legends, he believed this one. So did his brother, or so he surmised from his research and spying. He'd spent a lot of time here, at the small shrine in the middle of the Rainbow Glaciers. Working on it. Studying it. He'd been an expert on lost technology. This must've been the weapon. And now, he had the key, hidden away on his own niece. Holding up the amethyst, Datou's hand trembled at the prospect of all that power at his fingertips. All of it his. His name would ring throughout history, and the Snow Country would take it's place alongside the Five Great Shinobi Nations. He'd be a Kage. The first Hyoukage. He rather liked the sound of that.

So it was, wasting no more time, paying no more heed to his niece, Datou reached into the shrine and placed the crystal into the center, into a small hole that had been shaped precisely for it. It fit like a glove, more proof that this was exactly what he had sought. He gave a twist, and pushed it in. And as he watched in awe, taking a step back, it lit up. The whole shrine, then the whole region lit up, lines of energy snaking across the ground in a snowflake pattern, radiating outwards from the shrine towards the standing pillars of ice on all sides. Each one began to glow with an eldritch, eerie light as a distinct hum filled the air. The sound of power. It was intoxicating. Datou could do nothing but stare and grin like the madman he was.

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This was, however, when Team Eight arrived. They'd leapt clear of the sled and left the film people to find secure locations nearby to capture their exploits on film as they'd vanished into the snow near one of the pillars to watch the scene unfold.

The glow from the monuments was fading, however, even as steam began to rise up from the ground. Confused, Datou could only grasp at straws, glancing about furiously.

"Where is the treasure? Where is my weapon?!" he demanded angrily.

Shino, shifting slightly to get a better view, accidentally stretched out a hand, resting it on the monument, and almost immediately snatched it away.

"What is it?" asked Hinata, as she and Naruto glanced his way.

"It's... warm... look!" he whispered, pointing. As the three of them watched, they could visibly see the ice and snow starting to melt. The whole area was filling with watery streams and tiny rivers as the layers of perma-frost and snow were melting away. Steam was rising in the air. Something Datou had done hadn't gone according to plan. At least, not his plan... but perhaps someone else's. This place had been designed for something.

"It's a generator," breathed Shino, realization dawning on him. "A power generator... this is a power source. Light and heat and power for all of the Snow Country... powered by old technology."

"That's a treasure?" asked Naruto. "I thought Datou came here after a treasure..."

"But this is old technology," Hinata added. "Sandayuu-san said that Datou's brother was an expert on it... maybe he misunderstood his brother. Maybe to one man, what is truly treasured..."

"His precious persons," whispered Naruto. "The people of the Snow Country. This was never silver and gold. This was light and heat."

"It seems Datou has come to the same conclusion," remarked Shino, pointing again, where the black-clad shinobi was cursing up a storm. And it looked like he was about to take it out on Koyuki, who was sitting there, dazed.

"I think that's our cue," said Naruto, springing forward. "Princess!"

Datou's enraged blue eyes snapped up to see three shinobi running across the snow in a ragged pattern towards him, the two boys and the girl. Not even their jounin-sensei was with them, but still, they should've all been dead now. He should've known better than to trust Rouga and his imbecile partners to deal with them. "Must I do everything around here?!" he roared, snapping his hands together to form seals. "_Hyouton, Kokuryuu Boufuusetsu_!" he roared, thrusting out his fist. A wave of black energy shot forward, originating from his fist and speeding towards the Konoha ninjas. It formed into the shape of a black dragon, with burning ruby eyes and a vicious mouth full of teeth.

"NO!" cried the Princess, watching in horror as her only hope was destroyed.

The jutsu hit with the force of gale, slamming into Naruto, Hinata, and Shino, sending them flying through the air as Datou grinned wickedly. But his smirk faded when the bodies of Hinata and Shino puffed out of existence in small explosions, vanishing before his eyes. Naruto, evidently the only real attacker in the bunch, went crashing to the ground, jacket torn and ripped down the front and clinging to him only by the shoulders, exposing his black t-shirt and the crystal dangling around his neck, as well as the chakra nullifier still attached to his chest.

"_BUNSHIN_?!" Datou cursed.

"Correct!" shouted Shino, springing out of the snow in his hiding spot, now much closer to Datou and launching a powerful spin kick, aiming for the man's block of a head. Datou blocked, the metal of his gauntlet shuddering from the force of the blow, but it wasn't nearly powerful enough to damage him. He retaliated by throwing out his other fist towards Shino, but as it connected, the bug-users body exploded as well. Not as smoke, but into a small swarm of black kikai bugs. Datou cursed again, but he'd been caught off-guard trying to shake the filthy insects away even as the real Shino made his move and latched on to the back of Datou's armor, grabbing at his neck with his arms to try and restrain him. He might as well have been holding down a bull for all the effort he was making, but it served his purpose.

"NOW!"

Datou's eyes opened wide as the pale-eyed Hyuuga came rushing across the snow, kicking it up as she leaned forward, palms upraised to deliver one of her wicked _Jyuuken_ strikes. Now struggling in earnest, he grabbed a hold of Shino's coat and hurled the Aburame over his shoulder, to let him crash hard against a nearby outcrop of ice where he lay, motionless. But he still wasn't fast enough to avoid what came next. And casually throwing about one of the few people Hyuuga Hinata called friend was a very, very bad move indeed.

"I..." Hinata raised her head as she came in low, _Byakugan_ flashing. "... am going to KILL you!"

Her palm struck the center of Datou's armor, right over the crystal sphere that she, Naruto, and Shino had surmised was the power source of the chakra armor. Pouring her chakra into her palm and striking hard, Hinata let loose the fury of the Hyuuga on this fake lord, and was rewarded when a hearty cracking sound filled the air as the sphere broke. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough, and she wasn't prepared as Datou's leg lashed out and struck Hinata's midsection, nearly doubling her over from the sheer force, sending her flying through the air to land with a bone-crunching landing some distance away.

"I... cracked it... Naruto-kun," she whispered as she lay there, blood pouring from her split lip. "You can... you can do the rest..."

Aware that one last threat was present, Datou turned to see a small army of green-clad, yellow-haired boys come charging over at him, as if a sea of green and yellow was washing down the hillside. "Can't any of you stupid kids ever die?!" he snarled darkly, hands snapping together to form more seals. "This time I finish you off! _Souryuu Boufuusetsu_!!"

Thrusting out both hands in opposing directions, Datou unleashed his ultimate technique, as not one but two blasts of black energy shot fourth from his hands, spinning off in separate directions, and then whirling upwards towards one another in a cyclone of awesome, destructive, power. The black bands took on the form of black, crimson-eyed dragons once more as they shot through the air and whirled down like a hurricane to rip through the ranks of Naruto's _Kage Bunshin_. Many vanished in the span of a heartbeat, puffing out of existence in seconds from the sheer force of the winds destructive power. The power didn't stop with them, however, as the black dragon hurricane crashed into the ground, sending waves of snow and dust up into the air, obscuring vision. Datou, however, was confident his attack had ended the threat of Uzumaki Naruto once and for all.

"It is over!" he shouted. "It is ALL OVER!!" Datou threw back his head and laughed cruelly.

Princess Koyuki collapsed, unable to take anymore, falling to her knees as she surveyed the devastation. She'd had no idea Datou was so powerful. He'd swept them all aside like they were nothing to him. She'd been right. There was no hope. There was no spring. There was only death, destruction, and...

"Don't count on it!"

Two sets of blue eyes widened in shock and turned to the source of the call. There, standing on his own two feet, was Uzumaki Naruto. He looked like hell but he'd evidently managed to escape the worst of the blast intact, through frazzled and tossed up. Flanking him from behind, Shino and Hinata were there as well, though they took look badly beaten up.

"This story..." stated Shino.

"... is going to have..." said Hinata.

"... a happy ending!" shouted Naruto.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

Suiton: Gyoushuu is "Water Release: Condensation" and a small trick Kurenai taught to Team Eight during one of their previous missions which summons water out of the air and shapes it into whatever form the shinobi requires (usually in small amounts, like to wash the dishes or fill a canteen). 


	9. Dreams of Tomorrow

"That last attack took a lot out of me," muttered Naruto, rubbing a hand over the charka nullifier still stuck to his chest. "I don't know how much more I can do on my own." He glanced over his shoulder at them. "Get out of here. I'll let loose the red chakra... let Kyuubi out. He'll handle Datou."

"No... you can't do that Naruto-kun," said Hinata fearfully. "You'll lose yourself."

"It's the only way," he replied grimly.

"Incorrect," replied Shino quietly, a hand pressed against his side. When both of his teammates turned to him. "There is one remaining alternative. _That_ technique."

Naruto frowned at that. "We've never practiced that in a real fight."

"I doubt we'll have a better opportunity... or a more desperate need," remarked Shino, indicating with a tilt of his head that Datou looked ready to make another attack.

Naruto hesitated. If it were just his fate at stake, he'd gladly gamble it away on a reckless plan. It was, after all, one of his own. But he had Shino and Hinata to worry about, and it was his duty on Team Eight to keep them safe. But that sort of camaraderie went both ways. They wanted to see him safe as well. Safe from the darkness lurking within him. And maybe they had a point.

The future Hokage only hesitated a minute, then nodded. "Alright then... let's do it!"

As Datou watched in shock and Koyuki watched in awe, Naruto thrust back his hand, palm up. Shino and Hinata moved in, and with careful precision began to apply their own pulsating blue chakra in precise fashion, pouring it into the boy's hand, letting it whirl around into a ball of pure energy, clutched in the Naruto's hand. This was the raw power of Team Eight, the dedication of their ambitions, their emotions, their courage, their love, their teamwork. Their power was purity to Datou's corruption, and it was now held in their heavy hitter, who intended to let Datou feel every last little ounce of their true power.

--

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After the Sound's failed invasion, the Legendary Sannin known only as Jiraiya had approached Naruto and shown him a new technique, something that only he and the Fourth Hokage had ever been able to master, or so he said. It was called _Rasengan_, an A-rank technique that took Naruto's chakra and turned it into a weapon that could smash through virtually any defense or barrier. It had been hard to learn the technique under Jiraiya's tutelage and his rigorous program, but Uzumaki Naruto had learned a great number of ways to improvise and make the technique his very own, first switching to his spare hand to fill the first with a rotating ball of chakra, and then later using a _Kage Bunshin_ that he'd been able to officially claim mastery of the technique.

However, it was when he'd shown it to Shino and Hinata that he'd learned the real power of the _Rasengan_.

And they'd experimented, and practiced, Shino's knowledge of chakra and Hinata's keen eyes coupled with Naruto's creativity. And they'd worked out a way to double, even triple the power of the strike. They'd never had a chance to formally test it, but now was as good a time as any. If it didn't work, they'd have nothing left. So they'd best give it their all.

--

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This was the point that Yuuhi Kurenai had arrived, having pushed herself to be there for her team. But it seemed there was no need. She could only watch in amazement as she saw Shino and Hinata joining with Naruto to create some sort of combination _Rasengan_ attack, and shake her head in awe. She really needed to stop underestimating these kids, she thought to herself.

"Naruto! Hinata!" cried out Koyuki suddenly. "I believe in you! The Unlucky Princess accepts you as the greatest ninjas ever!" the dark-haired woman shouted, finally, at long last, putting her trust in someone. Daring to hope. Daring to believe... that they could win.

Team Eight needed no further promptings from . As one, they ran forward, Shino and Hinata keeping pace with Naruto, charging up the whirling ball of raw energy in his palm. As they did, the sun finally peeked up over the horizon as the night ended and dawn began. But what was more amazing was when it struck the rainbow glaciers, it lit up in a brilliant display of colors. And these same colors washed over Naruto, Hinata, and Shino, and in particular around the ball of energy swirling in his palm, changing it from a brilliant blue to a myriad of colors. Flaming red. Shining orange. Bright Yellow. Forest Green. Ocean Blue. Nighttime Indigo. Passionate Violet. Seven colors swirling together to form one bright sphere of light.

"The Seven Color Chakra," Kurenai breathed in awe. "Just like the movie."

As it turns out, even Datou was affected by the implications of the light, and couldn't do more than stand there in stunned silence for more than a few minutes until Team Eight came in close, ready to tear him to pieces. He swung out with an arm to stop Naruto and his attack before it collided, but it flew clear over his head, even as Hinata and Shino came to a stop a few feet away, their part done. With his attack having missed, Datou was wide open, as Naruto reared back his hand.

"Eat this! **_RASENGAN_**!"

Naruto thrust out his hand and slammed the ball of chakra into Datou, and for a moment, it seemed as if time slowed to an absolute stop. And then the full fury of raw chakra slammed full into Datou with the force of a meteor strike, pummeling at him again and again relentlessly as Naruto grimly held on. The force cracked his chakra armor further, shattering the gemstone power source in the center, and then further breaking the armor down until it was practically pulverized into iron dust. A hurricane smashed into Datou, or so it seemed, sending him flying, spinning wildly out of control, through the air. His impromptu flight was halted by one of the stone pillars as he crashed into the side of it on his back hard enough to shatter the foot-thick ice.

For a moment he simply hung there, suspended, and then Datou came crashing down to earth, landing unceremoniously beneath the bottom of the glacier. But no one was paying the slightest bit of attention to him now. They could only stare as their breath was stolen away by an even greater sight.

--

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As the ice shattered on the glacier, it seemed as if a wave swept over the landscape. As they watched, snow completely vanished in seconds, not melting, completely vanished right before their eyes. Replacing the snow was grass, grass as green as any found in Konoha, and cool blue watery ponds and lakes. Flowers sprouted up everywhere, a myriad of colors. Red, yellow, green, blue, violet. The seven colors of the rainbow, all encompassed by the bright green that filled the senses.

Shino, unable to believe his eyes, removed his ever-present sunglasses to get a proper look around, his own eyes wide in astonishment. Hinata's view was much the same, her tiny mouth was open wide in a voiceless gasp. Even Kurenai felt like pinching herself. This couldn't be real... could it? But it was, she realized. Real grass beneath her feet. She leaned down to pluck some up and be certain. It even smelled real. This was no genjutsu. Somehow, the machine, the old technology, had been properly reactivated. It had brought back the one thing the Snow Country had thought lost forever.

Spring.

And there was something else. As they watched, an image formed high up in the sky between the ice glaciers. Some hidden projectors that were in the old technology were conjuring up a very old image, blurred and indistinct on the edges but undeniably there. It was a little girl. A little dark-haired girl of maybe six or seven, and it did not take a genius to note the similarities of the dark-haired girl image and the dark-haired Princess who stood on shaky legs below, watching in awe.

"_Believe in the future_," came a kindly male voice, echoing in the valley from hidden speakers. "_If you believe, Spring will come. Koyuki... what would you like to do when Spring comes_?"

"_I want to be a Princess_," replied the image of the girl above, with all the enthusiasm of a child behind her.

"_Oh_?" came the kindly male voice again. "_What sort of Princess_?" asked the voice. A voice the older Koyuki recognized.

"Father... " she whispered, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"_A kind, strong one_," replied the younger Koyuki. "_A princess who..."_

"... believes in justice..."

"... _believes in justice_!"

"_That's going to take a lot of hard work_," the voice replied again. "_But if you don't give up, and keep on believing in your dreams... one day, for sure... you will become one_." As they watched, the image above blurred faintly, and another figure joined the first, a tall, kindly-faced man who's resemblance to Koyuki and Datou was readily apparent in his long, dark hair and his blue eyes. He wore a set of stately robes and a pair of glasses rested on his nose. But whereas Datou's face had been twisted by arrogance and cruelty, this face was marked by kindness and compassion. This was the real lord of the Snow Country, who had passed away, but still watched over it... and over his daughter, the Princess.

As Koyuki watched her father, who seemed to be smiling down at her in particular, she couldn't help herself any longer, and the tears streamed down her cheeks as she cried. Not just in sorrow, but with joy. Her father's dream, of a Spring, had been realized. And as she came to understand that, she turned her head, and regarded her companions in new light.

Naruto, who lay on the grassy ground with a goofy smile on his face. He worked hard for his dream of becoming Hokage, but he also worked just as hard to protect, to help, to save people and show them that they could have their dreams as well, if they really tried. And then there was Hinata, the shy, plain girl with hidden strength and beauty inside of her. And Shino, who seemed so logical and calculating but really was as caring and selfless as any of them. Kurenai, fighting for her team, her dream to see theirs fulfilled. Sandayuu, who died trying to see this world. Even the film-makers and the cast of the silly little movie. They'd worked hard for their dream of a happy ending.

"_But I am not quite decided yet_," the image of the younger Koyuki said. "_There's one other thing I want to become..._"

"_Oh_?" asked the image of her father, seemingly surprised. "_What's that_?"

"... an actress..."

"_An actress_!"

Tears streamed down Koyuki's cheeks, as the hard ice around her heart had melted, and she let herself go freely with the emotions that surged through her. But she wasn't sad. She was laughing as she cried, even as the image of her younger self and her father faded away. She knew they would always be with her. The young Princess she'd been hadn't died so long ago, as she'd sometimes thought. She'd been with her all along.

Lying on his back, completely exhausted after his _Rasengan_, Naruto managed a smile as the image above faded away.

"And this... is a very, happy ending," he said, before his eyes drooped shut and he lays his head back down and lost consciousness. A butterfly landed on his forehead protector, and he didn't even notice. He was completely drained. But completely happy. Even fast asleep a big smile refused to leave his face.

--

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In the many weeks following the battle at the Rainbow Glaciers, things had been very, very busy indeed.

First of all, the film crew had regrouped and gathered up the sleds, helping to move the Princess and her escorts down to the village they'd originally been headed for, taking up temporary shelter there while Team Eight healed. Fortunately, injuries weren't quite as bad as they'd feared. Naruto, though completely exhausted, was unmarked once his torn clothes had been removed and replaced. They'd even managed to find a retired medic-nin in the village who was able to finally remove the hated chakra nullifier, though Kurenai had done her best to direct the doctors away from the blonde-haired boy while he rested lest they notice his unusual recovery. Content he was out of danger, she had them focused their efforts on Shino and Hinata instead, who were in much worse condition. Shino had fractured a rib during the fight with Datou, and it was nothing short of amazement he hadn't blacked out long before the final blow had been struck from the pain. Hinata was relatively fine, if covered in bad bruises and with a split lip that seemed to hurt every time she smiled. And she simply couldn't stop smiling. But both of them would be alright with a day or two of rest. Or at least able to travel.

Less than a week later, Team Eight and Koyuki entered the capitol of the Snow Country, as the reformed Princess assumed the mantle of leadership following the defeat of Kazahana Datou, her uncle. One of her very first executive decisions was to have him locked up in a dungeon in the very farthest, iciest regions of the north (where, apparently, the generator's power could not reach). There he would languish in the cold he so preferred.

Her second decision was to disband the Village Hidden in the Snow and declare them fugitives, to be jailed on sight. Most of them fled south, towards warmer climates, and found themselves employed to other Hidden Villages or running wild as missing-nin. Some even, or so it was rumored, wound up in Hidden Sound as experiments for the snake-eyed Orochimaru, who was curious to learn more about the ice-jutsu bloodline that some of the Snow ninja shared.

It was snowing in the streets the day of Kazahana Koyuki's coronation as Queen, but it wasn't snowing particles of ice. It was snowing showers of white flower petals. Whole legions of people had turned out to see her ascension to the throne, not the least of which was Team Eight, who stood in the very front row. Naruto yelled and waved, while the others also looked enthusiastic, if slightly more restrained in their cheering. For a while, Koyuki was a little scared, but all she had to do was think of them, think of their courage and their wisdom, the wisdom of children, and know she's set herself on the right course of action.

Fireworks exploded overhead in the seven colors of the rainbow.

--

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After the ceremony, when things quieted down, she met with them again. One last time before Team Eight was scheduled to return to Konoha. Koyuki had briefly considered offering them a home here, positions of honor, personal bodyguards of the new Queen. But she knew they'd never accept. This wasn't their home. Just like the Fire Country wasn't hers. Besides, Naruto would never leave. Not until he was Hokage, she thought with a smile.

But for right now, they had some time to talk. And she had some time to make amends for past mistakes.

There was one thing, however, that puzzled Shino, and he disliked puzzles. "What happened with that old technology... if it worked, why didn't Kazahana Sousetsu activate it years before hand?"

She smiled at that. "It was incomplete," she stated. "When Naruto threw the traitor into the glacier he broke something... and re-awakened it, I think."

Naruto had the good grace to look sheepish at that, rubbing the back of his head. Kurenai could only shake her head ruefully. The boy made the impossible possible... and without realizing what he was doing half of the time. He was less a shinobi than a force of nature.

"So there's going to be winter again?" asked Hinata, tugging down lightly on the collar of her formal white kimono. She'd never felt completely comfortable in such formal garb, but Kurenai had insisted Team Eight be presentable at this function. Naruto looked much the same in his black formal robe and hakama. Shino didn't look phased, but then again, he rarely did. Kurenai had been grateful for a chance to remove her chuunin jacket, and was adorned in a ruby kimono that complimented her eyes.

"No, not at all," replied Koyuki, holding the amethyst pendant hanging from her neck briefly. "We will study it properly, and figure out how it works. And if... when," she corrected herself. "When we figure out how to refine it, the Snow Country will be called the Spring Country. Someday."

"It will be a shame though," said Hinata, eyes downcast. "I mean, you won't be able to continue your acting if you're a Queen..."

"Who said I was going to quit?" asked Koyuki lightly, a smirk on her lips as she saw the stunned reactions of Team Eight. "As monarch and actress, I will do show that you can do both," she stated firmly. "After all... it is foolish to give up on your dreams, isn't it?" holding up a script underneath her arm.

Kurenai's ruby eyes grew wide at the sight of the title. "T-that's...! Oh noooo..." she moaned, clasping a hand against her forehead. Kakashi was never going to leave her alone after this. Not after he found out she knew the woman who starred in the movie adaptation of Come Come Paradise! Why?

Giggling softly behind her hand, the monarch of the Snow Country knelt down and gently took Hinata into her arms in a warm embrace. "Thank you for everything. All of you," she said, as she released her and gave Naruto one as well, ignoring how undignified her staff would've called her. Right now, she didn't care. She hesitated when she came to Shino, but ultimately gave him a hug as well, though it was exceedingly brief. She drew herself up to her full height then, and bowed formally before them. Team Eight returned the gesture.

"Farewell!" she said, lifting up her robes and making her way off. However, if Queen Koyuki hoped to make a quick escape, she quickly found her way cut off by a hoard of small children begging for her autograph. However, unlike before, this time she took the time to sign a few, smiling, giving words of encouragement. She was a changed woman. And she owed it all to them.

--

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As the ship pulled out of the harbor, and Team Eight bid farewell to the Snow Country and their mission, returning to Konoha. The life of a shinobi had it's wonders and it's fun but always at the end they had to make their way home for the next mission. Idly, Kurenai wondered if they would start pulling A-rank missions the way her team was doing so well in their time in the field. Or even S-rank. Koyuki had even been generous enough to fund their mission in the light of Sandayuu's tragic demise. And she'd slipped a little bonus to Kurenai when her students had been out of sight. It was a tiny package she showed them now. Anxious to see what lay within, Naruto urged her to open it, and she dutifully obliged on a small crate nearby so they could all see it's contents.

Inside... well... not quite what they'd expected. Money, to be sure. About a ten percent extra that the mission's original cost at a rough guess. But something underneath. Brushing the money aside, Kurenai reached in and drew them out.

"So this was what she had in mind... clever..." remarked Kurenai.

During the formal ceremonies, seemingly on a whim, Koyuki had requested the team come by in full shinobi gear for a special photograph she had in mind, and rejoined them in full costume and make up as Princess Fuun. One of the photographers from the filming crew had snapped the picture of them all striking heroic poses around her, not unlike her regular companions Tsukuyaku, Shishimaru and Brit. It looked like a screenshot from an actual movie, if a fantastical one.

Kazahana Koyuki (or Princess Fuun, as she was in the image) stood dead center, ceremonial sword upraised as if to unleash the power of the Seven Color Chakra to whomever was gazing upon them. Standing in front of her and slightly to the left was the green-clad, spiky blonde image of a thirteen year old shinobi boy, who'd palmed a trio of kunai between the fingers of his fist, ready to let them fly. Further to the left and behind both of them was the dark sunglasses and afro of another boy with arms upraised, black kikai bugs streaming from underneath his sleeves, frozen into a black cloud in the image. To their right, and also before Koyuki in a crouch was a white-eyed girl, arms upraised, palms out in a classical _Jyuuken_ stance. And slightly behind her and further right was the image of a ruby-eyed lady in alternating black and white, hands clasped before her in the seal of the tiger, though what jutsu she was about to unleash, none could say.

And the Queen had made four copies, and signed all of them. One for each member of Team Eight. Unable to contain herself, Kurenai read each one aloud as she passed them to their respective new owners.

"Uzumaki Naruto," handing it to the blonde boy with the eager smile. "Never give up on your dream of becoming Hokage. Fujikaze Yukie." She must've decided to use her stage name in an effort not to confuse those who were unaware of the events in the Snow Country the past few days.

"Hyuuga Hinata," handing the next to the white-eyed, shy girl. "Keep smiling, because you are beautiful inside and out. Fujikaze Yukie." And she did smile at that.

"Aburame Shino," as she offered the copy to the bug-user. "Best of luck in whatever you work towards. Fujikaze Yukie." Shino accepted it quietly.

"And... Yuuhi Kurenai," she added, examining her own more closely. "Never be afraid to show the world what a woman can do. Fujikaze Yukie." She smiled at that. Most of them did.

"First thing I do when I'm Hokage is frame this in my office," Naruto stated proudly, eagerly tucking the picture into his pack for safekeeping. Hinata smiled at that. She'd be keeping hers safe, she doubted many in the Hyuuga complex would enjoy seeing their Heiress degrading herself by posing with a silly movie actress. But right now, she didn't give a damn what they thought. She liked the picture. And she'd treasure it always and forever.

--

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Their mission money divided up (equal shares four ways, as was Kurenai's way) and their autographed photos stashed away for safekeeping, Team Eight settled back to enjoy the voyage home with varying degrees of eagerness and reluctance. After all, the Snow Country hadn't been so very bad as all that. Not counting the wolfish Snow ninja and Datou, and maybe some bad weather. And lack of hot water for showers and ramen, things which Naruto missed most of all whenever he was away from Konoha.

No, not so bad as all that.

All in all, the team was rather subdued as they voyaged back to the Fire Country and to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, their home. This hadn't been their first mission outside of their own borders but it had certainly been memorable, and it was doubtful any of them would ever forget it.

The first night out, Naruto was so exhausted he slept like a log, but found himself up early in the morning to catch the rising sunlight. So once again he trailed his way up the stairs from below deck and his cabin, leaving Shino to sleep. Or, leaving Shino lying down, at least. Naruto had never been one hundred percent certain which was the case with his Aburame teammate. So he strolled the deck, arms outstretched, letting the still cool but no longer biting cold air rustle his blonde locks. He felt invigorated. Somehow, he felt he'd taken a big step towards become Hokage on this mission. And it thrilled him. The moon wasn't visible, the sky was almost a pale purple as the sun started to rise on the horizon, bathing the ship in a golden glow. It also illuminated, standing by the bow once more...

"Hinata," he called out, though not too loudly. The crew of the ship had been up early but it was still a bit early for yelling.

She started, but gave a big smile as she saw who it was emerging from the early morning shadows. "Naruto-kun," she said. "Can't sleep?"

"Nawh," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Way too restless. You?"

"The same," she replied, stepping aside to give him room. He joined her at the bow of the ship, resting his arms on the railing to peer out at the dark ocean. "Just... thinking."

"Me too. This was a good mission," he declared.

And they stood there side by side, watching the horizon. And watching the future as it unfolded.

--

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**Author's Notes: **

Hope you enjoyed. And if you haven't read it already, go read S'TarKan's "Team Eight" story. _Rasengan_ has never been used in a fashion such as described above, but given that it's created by _Kage Bunshin_ for Naruto it doesn't seem all that big of a stretch for other people to feed it as well. Especially Hinata, given her channeling of chakra for_ Jyuuken_ techniques.


End file.
